TEE^' 


Vp 


V  4010  .G63  1883 
Goodell,  Charles  LeRoy, 

1854-1937. 
How  to  build  a  church 


How  TO  Build  a  Church. 


BY 


KEY.  C.  L.'^GOODELL,  D.D. 


ST.  LOUIS. 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION 
BY 

REV.   E.   B.   WEBB,   D.D. 

BOSTON. 


BOSTON: 

Consrrgational  ^untiag*Scf)aol  anU  i3ublisf)ing  ^ocietg, 
co:ngbegational  house,  beacon  stkeet. 


Copyright,  by 
Congregational  Sunday-School  and  Publishing  Society, 

1883. 


ELECTROTYPED. 


POSTON  STEREOTYPE  FOUNDRY, 
ffO.  4  Pbapl  STBB«T, 


On  the  twenty-seventh  of  November,  1882,  the 
people  of  Pilgrim  Congregational  Church,  St.  Louis, 
celebrated,  by  public  exercises,  the  tenth  anniversary 
of  their  pastor's  work  among  them.  Rev.  Robert 
West,  editor  of  the  "  Advance  "  at  Chicaofo,  took 
part  in  the  services,  and  said  to  the  pastor,  on  leav- 
ing :  "  Write  a  series  of  articles  for  the  '  Advance ' 
on  *  How  to  Build  a  Church.'  It  has  been  given  you 
to  see  two  churches  built  up  w^idely  apart :  one  in 
the  conservative  and  solid  East,  and  the  other  in  the 
progressive  and  swiftly-moving  West.  I  believe  it 
"will  do  good  to  tell  in  the  'Advance'  how  it  has 
been  done." 

Mr.  West  had  been  for  five  years  the  successful 
superintendent  of  Home  Missions  in  Missouri  and  the 
Southwest.  He  had  often  been  present  and  helpful 
in  the  services  of  Pilgrim  Church,  and  had  received 
sympathy  and  aid  in  planting  the  waste  places  on  his 
field.  He  desired  it  to  appear,  as  an  important  prin- 
ciple, that  churches  everywhere,  which  had  aided 
heartily,  according  to  their  ability,  in  building  in 
the  "regions  beyond,"  had  in  this  Avay  contributed 
much  to  their  own  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare. 
The  ai'ticles  were  undertaken,  ancl  writteu  by  snatches 


4  PREFACE. 

in  the  busiest  of  winters,  amidst  ever-pressing  duties 
and  cares  within  the  church  and  without.  The  pages 
contain  only  liints  and  suggestions,  and  are,  of  course, 
very  limited  and  incomplete.  They  were  not  written 
for  those  in  the  ministry  older  and  wiser  than  the 
writer,  but  in  the  hope  that  something  might  be  said 
that  w^ould  practically  help  many  earnest  builders  in 
the  Church  of  God  that  are  asking,  "  Who  is  suffi- 
cient for  those  things  ?  "  and  prayerfully  seeking  aid 
wherever  it  may  be  found. 

This  is  an  age  ripe  for  the  builder's  work,  that  the 
Church  of  Christ  may  be  a  temple  worthy  of  her 
glorious  Lord.  It  is  good  to  know  our  tools.  It  is 
needful  to  come  back  to  that  place  where  we  can  see 
what  great  things  God  can  do  with  weak  and  imper- 
fect men,  if  they  only  trust  him  and  act  on  his  word, 
as  seekers  after  souls.  Their  power  hides  here.  It 
is  important  to  see  that  our  failure,  when  we  fail,  lies 
in  our  own  want  of  faith  in  God.  Moses  and  Joshua, 
and  Gideon  and  Paul,  and  the  long  line  of  conquerors 
in  the  divine  kingdom,  have  been  foith-men.  They 
have  taken  God's  word  when  He  has  said  :  "  I  will  not 
save  them  by  bow,  nor  by  sword,  nor  hy  battle ;  by 
horses,  nor  by  horsemen,  but  by  the  Lord  their  God." 
Such  confidence  in  His  promises  has  made  them 
mighty  spiritual  warriors,  for  their  hold  on  the  sword 
of  the  Lord  has  led  them  to  wield  with  a  powerful 
hand  the  sword  of  Gideon  also. 

The  spirit  required  for  the  workman  of  Christ, 
East  and  West,  is  essentially  the  same.     What  will 


PREFACE.  '5 

succeed  in  one  place  will,  us  a  rule,  in  another.  The 
failure  is  not  so  often  from  want  of  ability  or  learn- 
ing or  right  location  as  it  is  from  the  wjmt  of 
deep,  believing  piety.  Many  workers  often  comfort 
themselves  too  easily.  They  contend  that  the  age 
of  miracles  is  past ;  that  apostolic  methods  are  not 
for  us,  and  revivals  are  not  wise  ;  so  in  the  morn- 
ing they  sow  the  seed,  and  in  the  evening  they 
withhold  their  hand.  Little  matter,  they  say,  about 
their  success  ;  that  is  God's  part,  —  the  great  thing  is 
faithfulness.  Fidelity  is  a  great  thing ;  but  Noah's 
fidelity  in  the  building  of  the  ark  would  have  availed 
little,  if  he  had  not  possessed  the  skill  also  to 
lead  in  the  households  under  his  care.  The  faith- 
fulness which  God  rewards  is  that  which  is  not 
content  till  it  brings  results  to  pass.  It  is  never 
satisfied  to  tread  the  old  rut,  year  after  year,  making 
it  deeper,  while  the  churches  are  gradually  decaying 
and  dying  under  it.  The  truth  is,  faithfulness  is 
success.  It  never  stops  with  routine.  It  carries 
power  and  conveys  blessing,  and,  although  it  may  not 
always  add  to  the  number  of  the  saved,  there  is  a 
light  and  splendor  in  the  fulness  of  its  devotion  to 
Christ  tliat  makes  the  place  of  its  feet  glorious. 

It  stands  knocking  until  Christ  comes  in  and  un- 
veils His  beauty,  and  fills  the  parish  with  a  sense  of 
divine  power,  making  all  things  new. 

This  preaching  and  going  to  sleep  on  our  faithful- 
ness till  God  o'ives  the  increase,  is  what  is  wastins^ 
us.     The  pastor  who  calls  nothing  fidelity  which  does 


6  PREFACE. 

not  brino:  constant  blessinof  from  heaven  in  some 
form  on  his  people,  and  is  ever  close  up  to  his  Lord's 
side,  pleading  for  mercies  and  blessings,  will  be  suc- 
cessful in  conveying  spiritual  gifts  unto  men,  as  well 
as  faithful  in  his  work.  The  writer  lives  and  works 
in  a  great  and  abiding  faith  in  these  promises  of 
God  to  brine:  forth  fruit. 

''  The  Priest  to  the  Temple,"  by  George  Herbert, 
of  Bemerton  parish,  suggested  a  kind  of  form  for  this 
little  work.  His  happy  home,  in  sight  of  the  wonder- 
ful spire  of  Salisbury  Cathedral,  miles  away,  shining 
through  the  vine-covered  study  windows  of  his  pretty 
parsonage  in  green  and  beautiful  England,  was  often 
in  the  author's  mind  as  he  Avrote,  as  well  as  the 
thought  of  what  Herbert  left  behind  in  the  pomp  and 
vanity  of  a  courtier's  life,  that  he  might  be  simply  a 
faithful  priest  of  the  Temple.  And  the  gentle  step  and 
helping  hand  at  his  side,  ministering  good,  were  also 
as  often  brought  to  mind  by  the  offices  of  love  that 
gladdened  the  author's  own  home  as  he  wrote. 

The  closing  articles,  contributed  to  the  "  Congre- 
gationalist  "  by  the  graceful  and  loving  hand  that  pre- 
sides at  the  Pilgrim  parsonage,  are  added  to  this 
volume,  as  altogether  pertinent  to  the  church-building 
work. 

Grateful  for  the  fiivor  with  which  the  articles  were 
received,  I  commend  this  little  volume  in  the  name 
of  Almighty  God,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit. 

C.  L.  GOODELL. 

St.  Louis,  Sept.  25,  1883. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction 9 


I.  The  Pastor  Saving  Souls 13 

II.   The  Pastor  in  the  Pulpit 20 

III.  The  Pastor  in  the  Parish 28 

IV.  The  Pastor  among  the  Youth 35 

V.  The  Pastor  in  the  Prayer  Meeting    ....  41 

VI.  The  Pastor  dealing  with  Skepticism      ...  48 

VII.  The  Pastor  in  Revivals 55 


VIII.  The  Privilege  of  Teach- 
ing God's  Word   ...    by  I\Irs.  C.  L.  Goodell,     62 

IX.  Ministers'  Wives     ...  "  **  67 

X.  Woman's  Work  in  Home 

Evangelization    ...  "  "  72 


INTEODUCTION. 


The  voice  of  experience  —  this  is  the  one  great 
value  of  this  book.  It  is  the  open  avowal  of  convic- 
tions and  methods  which  have  been  found  successful 
in  practice.  Dr.  Goodell  as  a  Christian  minister  has 
occasion  to  thank  God  profoundly  for  what  he  has 
enabled  him  to  do.  I  suppose  he  never  thought  of 
making  a  book  when  he  Avrote  these  papers,  but  he 
certainly  has  a  purpose  and  an  aim  in  giving  himself 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Hoav  sharply  he  brings 
it  out  in  the  very  first  sentence  :  "  The  supreme  object 
must  be  the  salvation  of  men."  And  this  has  ever 
been,  and  ever  must  be,  the  one,  living,  supreme, 
imperative  end  of  every  true  minister  of  Jesus  Christ. 
"  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  is  lost."  To  convert  sinners,  to  edify  the  body 
of  Christ ;  aside  from  this  he  has  nothing  to  do ; 
short  of  this  he  cannot  stop.  And  he  will  suit  his 
methods  to  his  end ;  and  especially,  and  above  all,  he 

GI  keep  his  own  mind  and  heart  in  tenderest  and 

9 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

quickest  sympathy  with  Christ  and  his  gospel.     One 

says  of  Baxter,  '^  When   he  spoke  of  weighty  soul 

concerns,  you  might  find   his  very  spirit  drenched 

therein." 

"  Much  impressed 

Himself,  as  conscious  of  his  awful  charge, 
And  anxious  mainly  that  the  flock  he  feeds 
May  feel  it,  too." 

And  evidently  the  heart  out  of  which  these  writings 
came  is  full ;  full  of  the  joy  of  the  Lord,  and  full  of 
watchful,  eager  desire  to  save  souls.  We  see  our 
author  about  his  Avork  every  day.  He  goes  right  on. 
He  has  no  time  to  dally  with  the  fascinations  of 
aesthetics,  or  to  pillow  his  head  upon  a  lap  where  the 
strontrest  is  sure  to  be  shorn  of  his  strens^th.  He  has 
no  affection  for  doubts  which  obstruct  and  darken  the 
Christian's  way,  and  turn  him  aside  to  blaze  a  path  — 
a  dubious  and  treacherous  path  for  himself —  through 
swamps  and  deserts,  w^here  no  sure  ray  of  heaven's 
light  is  seen,  and  no  voice  from  above  the  tree-tops 
is  heard.  From  beginning  to  end  these  chapters 
show  a  mind  clear  of  that  folly  which  assumes  that  a 
man  may  entertain  one  thing  and  teach  another.  He 
preaches  what  he  believes,  and  believes  what  he 
preaches.  "  For  as  he  thinketh  in  his  heart  so  is  he." 
He  neither  criticises  the  church  nor  complains  of  her 
creeds.  He  neither  doubts  the  authorship  of  the 
Pentateuch,  nor  denies  the  logic  of  Paul.  He  is  not 
wise  above  what  is  written.     He  is  not  more  liberal 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

than  his  Master.  lie  knows  nothing  of  an  unknown 
God ;  but  he  does  know  the  crimson  guilt  and  the 
fearful  sentence  of  the  sinner.  He  does  know  the 
gift  of  free  grace,  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
He  knows  the  time  for  repentance.  "Now  is  the 
accepted  time."  He  also  knows  the  way  of  salvation. 
Christ  is  the  w^ay.  "There  is  none  other  name  given 
under  heaven  among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved." 
And  in  such  knowled^^e  and  convictions  —  knowded2:e 
gained  from  the  inspired  Word  and  convictions  wrought 
by  experience  of  the  Spirit's  power  —  is  found  the 
secret  of  ministerial  success. 

Most  grateful  also  and  natural  is  the  earnest  spirit 
of  this  little  book  —  an  earnestness  that  throbs  in 
every  line,  and  inspires  exertion  everyAvhere,  and  to 
the  last.  Here  is  an  urgency  like  that  which  runs 
through  the  teaching  of  the  Master  and  his  apostles. 
"Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  £:ate."  '^As 
though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in 
Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God." 

Timely  and  suggestive  also  is  this  book.  Statistics 
show  that  in  some  towns,  cities,  and  even  States  the 
church  of  Christ  is  not  holdins^  her  own.  With  multi- 
tudes  the  pleasures  and  pursuits  of  this  world  are 
all-absorbinof.  There  is  a  lowerino:  of  the  law  and  a 
cheapening  of  the  gospel.  Sinners  ignore  the  claims 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  idle  aw^ay  their  Sabbaths  and 
their  probation  in  unbelief.     The  very  atmosphere  is 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

charged  with  the  forces  of  skepticism.  And  just  as  a 
nation  ignorant  of  the  true  God  sets  up  wooden  gods, 
so  the  people,  when  they  have  renounced  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  embrace  superstitions  that  are  hideous 
and  errors  that  are  deadly.  And  is  the  Church  free 
from  responsibility  in  all  this?  Are  our  robes,  as 
Christian  ministers,  without  stain?  Whoever  reads 
these  pages  attentively  will  find  the  impulses  of  his 
own  heart  prompting  him  to  an  earnestness  and 
activity  which  are  altogether  the  best  antidote  for  the 
evils  which  afflict  our  day. 

The  gospel  is  God's  gift  to  sinners.  To  under- 
stand and  accept  it  makes  a  new  man.  ^'  If  any  man 
be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature."  And  the  new 
creature  must  have  a  new  home.  How  to  build  this 
home  is  briefly  and  forcil)ly  told  in  this  little  book. 
Most  heartily  do  I  commend  it,  especially  to  young 
ministers,  and  pray  that  it  may  prove  a  guide  and  an 
inspiration  to  all  who  build  "  ujoon  the  foundation  of 
the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being 

the  chief  corner-stone." 

E.  B.  WEBB. 

Shawmut  Church,  Boston,  July  30,  1883. 


.    HOW  TO  BUILD  A  CHURCH. 


I. 

THE  PASTOR  SAYING  SOULS. 

To  build  a  church,  the  supreme  object  must  be  the 
salvation  of  men.  It  is  the  first  business  for  which 
the  church  exists.  God  sent  his  son  into  the  world 
that  the  world  throuo:li  him  mie^ht  be  saved.  Our 
Lord  himself  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  Avhich 
was  lost.  The  Holy  Spirit,  at  Pentecost,  endued  the 
disciples  with  power  to  become  witnesses  for  Christ 
everywhere.  The  first  sermon  was  a  bow  drawn  for 
sinners,  and  the  prick  of  the  arrow  was  felt  in  three 
thousand  hearts.  From  that  hour  there  were  daily 
additions  to  the  church.  Here  everything  points 
directly  to  the  salvation  of  men.  While  this  end 
was  kept  in  the  forefront,  the  secret  of  success  in 
building  the  church  was  an  open  secret. 

To  recover  men  lost  by  sin  is  the  deepest  motive 
which  ever  stirs  the  soul.  It  draws  from  God  the 
greatest  gifts  he  ever  imparts.     This  passion  for  souls 

13 


14  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

is  the  engine  that  moves  the  whole  train.  Divine 
power  was  not  more  conspicuous  in  the  disciples  than 
the  human  energy  they  put  into  their  work.  ''  This 
one  thing  I  do,"  says  Paul.  They  all  had  an  eye 
single  to  the  exaltation  of  the  cross.  They  passed 
by  many  good  things  to  do  this  chief  thing.  First, 
and  continually,  they  won  souls.  It  was  their  mis- 
sion from  their  Master. 

This  purpose  of  converting  souls  and  gathering 
them  into  the  fold,  is  to  be  kept  uppermost  to  the 
last.  This  is  what  the  church  is  here  for.  There  is 
no  true  success  if  this  fails.  The  church  will  not  fill 
its  other  functions  fitly,  if  this  leading  one  is  lost 
sio^ht  of.  Culture  s^oes  for  nothino^  if  there  are  no 
new-born  souls  to  cultivate.  There  is  little  buildins: 
up  without  living  stones  to  build  with.  But  if  there 
is  success  in  converting  men,  there  will  be  life  and 
movement  throughout  the  church.  It  is  what  the 
church  lives  on,  —  the  joy  of  new-born  souls. 

There  are  four  sources  from  which  to  draw :  the 
family,  the  Sunday-school,  church-goers  unsaved,  and 
the  great  outside  world.  To  keep  four  streams  flow- 
ing into  the  church  from  these,  is  back  of  everything. 
In  order  to  do  this,  ministers  must  be  men  of  God, 
masters  of  gospel  methods,  filled  with  its  spirit,  and 
untiring  fishers  of  men. 

To  build  a  church  is  to  take  hold  in  God's  name 
and  build  it,     Every  victory  fov  Christ  costs  prayer 


THE    PASTOR   SAVING    SOULS.  15 

and  toil  and  blood.     It  must  be  sweat  through.     The 
church  will  not  grow  in  the  chill  air  of  this  world, 
without   somebody  to  love  it,  and  yearn  over  it  with 
watchful   cjire,  as  the  mother  ov^er  the  cradle.     The 
pastor  must  give  days  and  nights  to  it,  counting  all 
things  as  gain  which  be  can  })ossibly  do  for  it,  what- 
ever the  loss  to  him.     Men  do  this  in  business  and 
make  no  moan  over  their  sacrifices.     Should  Christ's 
disciples  do  less  ?     The  strength  put  into  business  in 
this  age,  if  consecrated  to  saving  men,  would  rapidlyC 
build  powerful  churches  all  over  this  land.     Business? 
men  move   mountains  to  rear  their  rolling-mills  and ) 
grain-elevators  and  railways.      The  thunder  of  their  f 
captains  fills  the  land.      Ministers,   with  God  over-  ' 
head,  often  fail  to  move  mole-hills.     Much  of  their ' 
lack  of  progress   is  the  sheer  want  of  an  enterprise 
and  endeavor  in  keeping  with   the  greatness  of  the 
object  and  reward.     It  never  harms  the  religion  of  a 
church    to    let   a   living    stream    of  honest  business 
energy  flow  through.     The  religious  life  of  a  commu- 
nity would  never  lag  behind  the  business  life,  if  the 
same  efibrts  were  put  forth  in  its  behalf.     We  need 
work.     I  speak  for  St.  James,  the  neglected  saint  of 
the  New  Testament.     Men  believe  and  pray,  but  fail 
to  do.     Thouofh  manna  lies   thick   on   the    orround, 
God's  people  do  not  gather  it.     There  is  a  soul  to  l^e 
saved  at  every  Christian's  elbow,  yet  the  heart  to  do 
it  is  wanting.     Some  say  the  art  is  lost,     jNIany  of 


16  HOW   TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

!the  soldiers  of  the  cross  have  called  a  halt  in  this 
brightest  day  of  the  Lord,  and  are  taken  up  in  mend- 
ino'  the  chariot  of  salvation,  re-fashionins^  it  after  the 
/wisdom  of  this  world,  putting  on  new  attachments 
of  human  device,  not  satisfied  with  the  divine  model. 
We  get  what  we  strive  for.  A  minister  may  be  a 
hard  worker,  yet  his  church  decline  because  he  does 
not  put  his  best  work  into  it,  or  does  not  put  it  in 
wisely.  When  the  pastor  is  occupied  with  less  than 
the  highest,  the  church  feels  the  loss.  The  social  life, 
the  educational  interests,  art  circles,  literary  gather- 
ings, lectures,  concerts,  public  courtesies,  and  wide 
outside  demands,  all  bid  for  the  preacher's  time,  and 
he  may  give  his  left  hand  to  them  if  he  can.  But  to 
build  the  church  of  God  calls  for  the  full  powers  of 
a  consecrated  life.  It  may  be  good  to  be  an  accom- 
plished scholar  in  curious  learning,  to  be  looking  up 
subjects  of  unique  interest,  to  be  an  effective  writer, 
to  have  the  oversight  of  schools,  to  lecture,  and  to 
lend  a  hand  all  round.  Benefit  comes  of  it,  after  its 
own  kind.  But  it  builds  the  church  only  remotely, 
and  it  often  weakens  it.  It  is  not  the  prize  which 
comes  from  drawing  men  into  the  fold  ;  ministers  lose 
unspeakably  here.  They  are  engaged  in  a  thousand 
profitable  things  besides  this,  and  neglect  this,  which 
is  the  very  first  work  they  are  set  to  do.  The  gen- 
eral interests  outside  flourish,  and  their  own  proper 
work  grows  weak.     They  get  what  they  live  for,  but 


THE    PASTOR    SAVING    SOULS.  17 

the  churches  dwindle.  The  minister  is  built  up,  but 
the  church  is  built  down,  and  the  end  is  loss  to 
the  minister  also.  Men  are  built  by  what  they 
build.  jN'othing  so  develops  character  as  holding  with 
all  one's  soul  to  the  one  great  mission.  To  live  among 
the  miracles  of  the  new  birth,  and  the  o^rowth  of  the 
divine  life,  is  to  stand  by  the  open  gates  of  glory, 
and  be  tilled  and  transligured  by  the  outshining  of  the 
mighty  One. 

Ministers  justly  seek  to  be  widely  useful  for  Christ, 
but  there  is  no  influence  which  one  can  exert,  single- 
handed,  to  be  compared  with  the  power  Avhich  one 
can  wield  under  God  through  a  well-ordered  church, 
instinct,  and  radiant  with  the  life  of  its  great  Head. 
The  priest's  breath,  when  the  silver  trumpet  was  put 
to  his  lijis,  became  a  bugle  blast  in  the  ears  of  all 
Israel ;  so  the  church,  built  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is 
the  pastor's  trumpet,  ringing  the  invitations  and 
warnino^s  of  the  Word  in  the  ears  of  the  world. 
What  hio-her  or  holier  ambition  can  any  minister  have 
than  to  compact  a  community  of  spiritual  lives  into 
one  organic  body,  and  lift  it  up  as  a  pillar  of  testi- 
mony, bringing  its  whole  weight  to  bear  in  vindica- 
tion of  righteousness  and  truth,  or  scathing  evil  with 
the  lio'htnino:  of  its  rebuke?  What  minister  in  the 
land,  sincerely  seeking  to  be  useful,  yet  making  the 
building  of  his  church  a  secondary  object,  gains  an 
influence  equal  to  what  it  might  have  been  had  he 


18  HOW    TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

staked  his  soul  in  rearing  a  true  church  of  the 
Redeemer  ? 

It  is  common  to  say  the  power  of  the  ministry  is 
decaying.  If  a  minister  is  regarded  as  one  ordained 
to  do  everytiiing  under  heaven  while  his  church  is 
simply  an  annex,  it  may  be  true.  But  when  the 
minister  as  a  man  of  God  sent  to  declare  the  gospel 
of  the  new  life  sticks  to  his  business,  his  power  was 
never  i]:reater.  On  his  own  o-round  to-day  he  is  in- 
vincible.  This  keeping  the  salvation  of  souls  in  the 
lead,  in  building  the  church,  is  the  best  w^ay  to  edif}^ 
those  that  are  saved  already.  The  warmth  and  earn- 
estness of  Christian  living  wdiich  brings  in  converts 
preserves  them  alive  when  Avon.  The  preaching 
which  produces  conversions  quickens  at  the  same  time 
all  the  saints,  and  holds  them  in  service.  The  con- 
stant incoming  of  new  members  has  a  healthy  and 
happy  effect  on  the  church.  The  teachers  teach  bet- 
ter. The  preacher  preaches  better.  The  prayer- 
meetin<rs  have  more  life.  The  home  altars  blaze 
more  brightly.  The  brethren  are  fired  with  greater 
ardor  and  zeal.  The  benevolence  is  stimulated. 
Not  a  department  of  the  church  but  feels  the  blessed 
influence.  The  best  way  to  train  a  church  and  keep  it 
alive  to  every  good  work  is  to  so  order  it  that  fresh 
rivers  of  regenerate  life  shall  steadily  flow  into  it. 

Never  was  a  greater  error  than  to  believe  that 
conversions  must  come  at  a  certain  time,  and  then 


THE   PASTOR    SAVING    SOULS.  19 

that  the  church  must  stop  and  train  the  converts. 
Both  are  done. best  alongside. 

The  best  kind  of  edification  and  training  the  church 
knows  is  that  which  comes  from  that  style  of  church 
Hving,  and  praying,  and  teaching,  and  giving,  and 
watching,  and  soul-seeking,  which  secures  an  inflow 
of  souls  all  the  year  round.  Every  member  has  a 
place  and  a  work  then,  and  is  built  up  and  enlarged, 
and  led  from  strength  to  strength  in  the  Lord.  If 
ten  souls  have  been  saved,  and  vou  wish  to  train 
them,  set  them  to  saving  ten  more,  and  let  all  the 
church  lead  in  the  work  by  spirit  and  example. 


11. 

THE   PASTOR  IN   THE   PULPIT. 

We  are  living  in  an  age  of  good  preaching.  The 
pulpit  is  faithful  and  courageous  in  applying  the 
truth  to  the  sins  of  the  day.  It  has  a  special  care  for 
children  and  youth.  It  urges  a  large  benevolence. 
The  preaching  of  the  times  stimulates  lay  activity, 
calling  not  only  men  but  Christian  Avomen  and  3^outh 
into  service.  It  pleads  for  the  planting  and  endow- 
ing of  Christian  institutions  and  has  enlarged  concep- 
tions of  duty  and  service  to  the  whole  world,  seeking 
to  win  all  nations  to  Christ.  Thus  many  preach,  and 
the  power  of  these  truths  is  manifest. 

But  this  preaching  of  Christ  with  so  much  beauty 
and  sweetness,  often  leaves  out  of  sight  and  untouched 
the  awful  fact  of  human  sin  and  guilt,  and  thus  fails 
of  the  full  effect  that  w^ould  be  secured,  if  the  two 
ofreat  truths  of  man's  dano^er  in  sin  and  Christ's 
redemption  were  kept  side  by  side.  It  makes  a  one- 
sided gospel.  Love  is  set  forth,  but  not  righteous- 
ness ;  salvation,  but  not  punishment ;  heaven,  but  not 
hell.  It  is  easy  to  break  over  all  barriers  of  God's 
20 


THE   PASTOR  IN   THE   PULPIT.  21 

Word  at  this  point,  .iiid  conclude  that  Christ,  so 
wondrous  in  his  love,  will  save  all  men  sometime 
somewhere.  So  preachers  often  lay  more  stress  on 
widening  the  gate  and  broadening  the  Avay  of  salva- 
tion, than  in  fitting  men  to  walk  in  the  path  which 
God  has  ai)pointed  in  his  word. 

Sin  is  not  less  in  the  human  heart  because  less  is 
said  in  the  pulpit.  Out  in  the  great  world  sin  is  stern 
and  desperate,  and  relentless  unto  death.  Make  sal- 
vation easier  in  book  and  sermon,  still  the  way  of  the 
transfjressor  is  hard.  Till  sin  lets  ^o  its  hold  on  the 
soul,  preaching  against  sin  cannot  cease.  AYe  must 
preach  the  great  salvation  ^'Avarning  every  man,"  be- 
cause sin  and  punishment  are  so  great. 

The  sermon  must  be  judged  by  the  Bible  fruit  it 
bears  in  leadinof  souls  out  of  sin  into  the  new  life.  It 
may  be  good  when  it  ought  to  be  better.  The  final 
test  of  pulpit  discourse  is  the  result  that  follows 
after  the  pattern  of  the  gospel.  One  of  the  dangers 
of  the  ministry  is  that,  preaching  well,  it  shall  yet 
stop  short  of  reaching  the  most  important  result. 
''They  Avent  forth,"  says  Mark  xvi.  20,  ''and 
preached  everywhere,  the  Lonl  working  ivith  tliem 
and  confirming  the  word  with  signs  foUoiving ."  This 
is  the  fruit  the  pulpit  should  bear.  We  need  often 
to  review  our  preaching,  searching  out  its  defects. 
Paul  calls  us  to  judge  ourselves,  that  we  may  not  be 
judged  by  God.     "  Not  he  who  commendeth  himself 


22  HOW   TO   BUILD    A   CHURCH. 

is  approved,  but  he  whom  the  Lord  commendeth." 
2  Cor.  X.   18. 

Some  of  the  defects  in  modern  preaching,  according 
to  Bible  tests,  are  these  :  — 

1.  Unbelievers  are  not  converted.  There  are  few 
adequate  "signs  following"  the  Word.  The  gains  in 
many  places  are  not  equal  to  the  losses.  The  mill 
runs  on,  but  little  comes  of  it.  Revivals  are  seldom, 
and  there  is  much  distaste  for  them.  In  those  por- 
tions of  the  country  where  means  and  opportunities 
for  saving  souls  are  greatest,  conversions  are  fewest. 
There  is  a  want  of  direct,  aggressive,  gospel  work. 
Pastors  are  compelled  to  lament,  "  The  harvest  is 
passed,  the  summer  is  ended,  but  the  souls  under  our 
charge  are  not  saved."  It  is  a  terrible  impeachment 
of  our  preaching.  The  exceptions  only  make  the 
failures  the  more  humiliating.  We  who  sit  in  the 
seats  of  Moses,  and  yet  lead  so  few  people  forth,  do 
not  feel  as  we  should  the  great  force  of  tliis  charge 
against  us.  We  have  stopped  in  the  wilderness, 
while  Providence  goes  on  and  leaves  us.  Where  is 
the  old  passion  for  souls?  How  little  revival  power  ! 
How  few  call  on  the  mighty  God.  We  offer  ex- 
cuses, try  new  schemes  of  doctrine,  and  find  fault 
with  the  Bible,  but  God  lays  the  charge  at  our  door. 
To  save  lost  men  w^as  Christ's  first  work,  and  it  is 
ours,  and  nothing  can  blind  God's  eyes  to  our  failure 
here. 


THE    PASTOR    IN   THE    PULPIT.  23 

2.  The  modern  i)uli)it  does  not  reach  the  mass(  s, 
the  great  multitude  of  the  people.  A\'ith  the  whc  le 
field  given  us,  we  lose  ground  each  year.  Church 3S 
do  not  increase  as  fast  as  the  population  does  rela- 
tively, nor  as  fast  as  they  ought  and  could.  The 
world  waxes  powerful  and  pours  past  the  church 
doors  every  Sabbath  a  vast,  restless  throng  un- 
touched. Our  churches  mainly  give  up,  and  do  not 
try  to  reach  them.  The  ministers  are  educated  often 
away  from  the  masses,  and  keep  away.  Few  could 
stand  up  on  a  street  corner  and  deliver  a  simple 
powerful  gospel  message.  They  are  not  masters 
of  assemblies,  having  little  taste  or  inclination  to 
handle  the  crowd,  and  fasten  the  gospel  in  their 
hearts  as  a  nail  in  a  sure  place.  The  disciples  "  so 
spake  that  a  great  nmltitude  both  of  the  Jews  and 
also  of  the  Greeks  believed."  Acts  xiv.  1.  Many  of 
our  clergymen  read  a  paper  to  a  chuich  circle  of 
cultured  people  of  their  own  set  at  tl.e  top  of 
society  (what  right  has  any  minister  to  have  a 
set?),  and  leave  the  great,  sturdy,  powerful,  rising 
multitudes  at  the  bottom,  untouched.  They  preach 
to  magazines  and  reviews  and  controversial  books, 
and  only  a  few  even  of  their  hearers  know  or  care 
anything  about  the  sermon.  The  pulpit  becomes  a 
literary  bureau,  while  the  people,  the  vast,  untamed, 
restless  throns:,  infidel  toward  God  and  his  Book, 
trampling   on   his    day   and   law,    impatient   of    all 


*i*A 


24  HOW   TO    BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

authority,  setting  up  ti  beer  saloon  and  divorce  court 
on  every  corner,  are  swellinof  in  numbers  and  risins:  in 
power,  and  threaten  soon  to  come  to  the  top  of  society 
and  rule.  With  vigorous  body,  and  all  their  faculties 
sharpened  by  contact  with  the  world,  their  dislike  to 
church-people  intensified,  they  will  come  to  leader- 
ship, —  they  have  now  in  many  places,  —  and  the  tine 
people  who  have  taken  the  cream  of  the  gospel  for 
themselves,  and  forgotten  the  needs  of  the  many,  will 
be  crushed  and  powerless  in  these  vast  upheavals. 
God  brings  us  the  masses.  Failing  to  invite  them 
in,  the  bulk  of  the  people  go  in  the  great  trains 
thundering  on,  and  the  church  rides  in  a  dainty  par- 
lor-car behind.  Christianity  ought  to  be  conductor 
of  the  train.  The  answer  to  the  blind  groping  of 
the  people  in  England  for  Christian  leadership  is  the 
Salvation  Army;  and  the  English  Church,  from  the 
classic  shades  of  Oxford  and  Cambrido-e,  is  listenino: 
to  learn  what  can  be  done  for  the  people.  The  solu- 
tion of  this  question  from  Christ  is,  "The  poor  have 
the  Gospel  preached  unto  them."  The  example  from 
the  apostles  is,  "They  went  everywhere  preaching 
the  Word."  God's  suggestion  for  us  is  Mood3^  How 
truly  the  preaching  of  our  time  on  this  subject  has 
lost  its  way.  God  and  his  Book  point  one  way,  and 
we  go  another.  Under  our  preaching  unbelief  thrives, 
and  discontent  increases.  But  God  and  his  Word 
will  both  hold  us  to  account  in  eternity. 


THE    PASTOR   IN    THE    PULPIT.  25 

3.  Our  lack  of  effort  for  foreigners  is  another  de- 
fect. The  tide  of  foreign  life  is  rising  around  us 
every  day,  higher.  We  go  on,  unmindful  of  the 
amazing  changes  going  on  in  society,  and  learn  next 
to  nothing  from  their  presence  among  us  —  preaching 
and  conducting  church  affairs  as  if  these  people  did 
not  exist.  Seven  million  Germans  among  us ;  in 
several  States  more  children  of  foreigners  born  than 
of  natives,  and  in  many  States  the  ratio  of  births  in 
a  foreign  family  far  greater  than  in  the  native  family  ; 
immigration  coming  in  at  the  rate  of  one  million  a 
year,  like  the  invasions  of  earlier  centuries  when  the 
character  of  whole  continents  was  changed.  Yet  what 
minister  has  converted  a  German?  Who  has  really 
cast  his  nets  in  on  that  side  ?  Our  church  is  sfreat  in 
learning,  and  translates  tons  of  German  skepticism. 
Who  has  preached  a  sermon  to  the  Germans  in  their 
tonofue?  We  discourse  to  one  small  class  on  one 
phase  of  thought  and  philosophy,  and  scarcely  make 
any  impression  on  these  raging  millions  of  our  popu- 
lation who  imaoine  a  vain  thinof,  and  in  whose  hands 
are  the  destinies  of  the  Republic  and  the  church  of 
God.  We  are  seeking  after  '^  wisdom,"  spinning  our 
theories  and  speculations,  as  Nero  fiddled  when 
Rome  burned.  The  wisdom  of  God's  Book  is  greater 
than  all  human  learning,  and  the  power  of  his  Spirit 
above  all  human  power.  The  foolishness  of  God  is 
wiser  than  man.     God  has  put  the  means  for  this 


26  now   TO    BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

work  in  our  hands.  For  this  duty  God  has  brought 
this  nation  to  its  present  high  standpoint  in  history. 
How  vast  its  achievement  might  be  across  the  whole 
continent,  if  it  would  address  itself  in  its  Christian 
miofht  to  its  work  as  Paul  wrought  for  the  Gentiles  ! 
4.  The  pulpit  of  the  day  does  not  call  3'oung  men 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry  as  it  ought.  We  are 
losing  here  each  year,  and  the  decade  past  makes 
sad  revelations  of  decline.  We  call,  they  do  not 
come.  We  preach  in  their  ears,  and  they  go  out  to 
business.  There  is  some  note  wanting  in  the  voice 
of  the  ministry  where  this  is  true.  There  is  a  judg- 
ment seat  in  every  young  man's  soul.  Roll  the  facts 
of  his  duty  on  him,  show  him  man's  sin  and  need 
of  the  Gospel,  and  no  work  will  be  more  attractive 
to  him  than  work  for  Christ.  What  doctrine  does 
the  missionary  preach,  the  evangelist,  the  pastor 
in  revivals  ?  This  doctrine  of  deliverance  from  sin 
through  Christ,  pressed  on  the  conscience.  It  brings 
times  of  refreshing,  fills  the  church  with  missionary 
power,  and  begets  ministers  and  teachers.  These 
truths  have  dropped  out  of  much  of  our  preaching, 
and  hence  its  want  of  effectiveness.  The  people  slide 
down  into  all  sorts  of  errors,  and  young  men  have  no 
heart  for  the  ministry.  Call  them  to  preach  because 
it  is  an  easy  service  :  they  can  find  easier  ones  in  the 
world.  Call  them  to  suffering  and  sacrifice,  to  toil 
and  heroic  service  for  Christ's  sake,  and  they  will 


THE    PASTOR   IN   THE    PULPIT.  27 

come.     Nothing  was  difficult  to    Paul  when  Christ 
called  him. 

In  these  things,  and  others,  our  preaching  has 
turned  aside  somewhat  into  the  pleasant  groves  of 
the  academy,  and  does  not  lay  hold  of  the  great 
wicked  world,  and  change  its  ways  as  it  should.  Its 
movements  are  often  sidewise  and  hesitating.  We 
suffer  from  the  delays  of  unbelief,  and  the  grand 
work  of  the  age  which  God  appoints  us  to  waits  and 
Avants  the  power  which  fails  to  come,  "  the  Holy 
Ghost  sent  down  from  Heaven."  These  are  grievous 
faults,  and  more  so  as  we  study  them.  The  remedy 
is  in  a  firmer  adherence  to  the  AVord  and  Spirit  of 
God,  anointing  the  soul  with  holy  fire.  If  we  make 
the  Bible  teach  what  we  think  it  ought,  instead  of 
what  it  plainly  does,  in  order  that  it  may  seem  con- 
sistent alwavs  with  human  thouo^ht,  and  broad  and 
lil)eral  toward  sin  from  our  standpoint,  marking  out 
new  channels  for  God's  2:race,  instead  of  standins:  by 
his  own  methods,  we  shall  preach  the  gospel  of 
the  natural  heart  instead  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of 
God,  and  so  loss  of  power  is  certain.  The  highest 
test  of  our  love  to  God  is  our  obedience  to  his  Word  ; 
and  obedience  to  God's  Word  in  the  pulpit  is  mighty 
power  over  the  souls  of  men.  "  Forever,  O  Lord, 
thy  Word  is  settled  in  Heaven." 


III. 

THE   PASTOR   IN   THE  PARISH. 

There  is  a  greater  dilFerence  now  between  the 
work  of  the  pulpit  and  that  of  the  parish  than  in  the 
early  days  of  Christianity.  We  have  lost  much 
which  needs  to  be  regained.  Jesus  Christ  went 
about  amono'  the  homes  of  men  doino-  orood.     Paul 

o  o    o 

ceased  not  to  declare  the  gospel  of  life  from  house  to 
house,  night  and  day,  with  tears.  Christianity  began 
in  a  parish  and  worked  parish-wise,  going  from  door 
to  door  and  heart  to  heart  among  the  people. 
Planted  in  the  household,  the  household  still  remains 
its  stronghold.  It  dicl  not  get  into  a  church  to 
preach  formally  from  a  pulpit  for  more  than  a 
century.  Its  greatest  triumphs  were  won  in  this  near 
approach  to  souls  through  the  personal  wrestling  of 
love.  Here  is  the  foundation  of  the  parish  idea,  and 
of  pastoral  work.  Let  the  early  example  and  prac- 
tice be  restored,  and  salvation  brought  down  from  its 
cold  perches  in  the  church  to  the  hearts  and  homes 
of  the  people.  The  family  altar,  at  which  Abraham 
ministered,  and  to  which  for  centuries  prophet  and 
28 


THE    PASTOR   IN    THE    PAKISH.  29 

apostle  bent  the  knee,  will  he  used  hy  the  faithful 
minister  as  a  great  factor  of  his  power.  "  Salute  the 
church  that  is  in  their  house." 

The  first  w^ork,  then,  in  the  parish,  as  in  the  pul- 
pit, is  the  rescuing  of  souls  from  the  power  of  sin. 
The  pastor  that  determines  with  Paul  not  to  know 
anything  among  his  peoi)le  but  Jesus  Christ  and  him 
cruciHed,  will  be  swift  to  see  and  seize  the  special 
opportunities  for  reaching  and  saving  men,  which 
pastoral  work  presents.  He  will  seek  to  imbue  the 
life  of  the  parish  with  the  spirit  of  grace.  The  one 
day's  teaching  of  the  pulpit  will  )je  illustrated  and  en- 
forced by  six  days'  faithful  living  among  the  people. 

"  What !  carry  the  solemn  proprieties  of  the  pulpit 
down  into  the  secularities  of  the  week,  and  work  there 
to  save  men?  It  Avould  repel  them."  Xo  —  rather 
carry  the  sweet  and  blessed  spirit  of  Christ  into  the 
joy  of  Sabbath  and  sermon,  and  also  into  the  hard- 
ness and  toil  of  the  w^eek,  and  make  them  both  glad 
and  helpful. 

The  pastor  who  goes  around  the  parish  in  stone 
like  the  two  tables  of  the  law,  is  a  pagan,  and  hardlyf 
less  so  is  he  wdio  o^oes  around  amono-  the  tables  of 
the  parish,  a  mere  good  felloAV,  talking  horses  and 
stocks,  feeling  he  has  done  up  his  piety  for  the  week 
on  Sunday.  A  pastor  mistakes  if  he  thinks  by  being 
worldly  in  conversation  and  bearing  he  will  be  more 
attractive.      The  ideal  gentleman,  according   to  Sir 


30  HOW   TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

Philip  Sidney,  is  a  Christian  gentleman.  He  wins 
because  of  "  high  thoughts  seated  in  the  heart  of 
courtesy."  The  pastor  that  is  filled  with  the  spirit  of 
his  Master  will  be  welcome  everywhere.  He  is  all 
the  more  loved  and  sought  because  he  is  a  livins', 
serving  Christian.  Instead  of  putting  aside  Christ  to 
make  himself  more  acceptable,  it  is  the  Christ-like- 
ness he  bears  that  makes  his  coming  a  joy.  There  is 
no  place  where  the  minister  gains  by  leaving  Christ 
behind.  What  is  called  "society"  kills  clown  per- 
sonal effort.  The  fashions  of  this  world  act  as  an 
exhausted  receiver  on  the  minister ;  he  loses  heart 
for  individual  labor,  and  courao^e  wavers  when  the 
rich  and  pleasure-loving  are  to  be  sought.  Much 
that  ofoes  as  culture  is  as  mildew,  and  even  when  a 
pastor  has  worked  his  parish  up  into  a  fine  social 
state,  a  society  tempest  will  upset  it  all ;  for  such 
work,  however  pleasant,  has  little  root.  The  same 
time  spent  in  deepening  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
church  will  secure  a  stability  that  endures  when  all 
the  waves  are  up  and  the  winds  are  contrary,  for 
it  is  founded  on  a  rock.  For  his  spiritual  work  the 
pastor  has  something  to  show.  All  else  is  '^  hay, 
wood,  and  stubble,"  and  the  time  is  short,  and  multi- 
tudes around  him  are  unsaved. 

The  pastoral  work  has  great  possibilities.  The 
minister  goes  to  the  people  with  blessing,  as  Christ 
came  to  the  world.     How  shall  we  get  souls?      "  Go 


THE    PASTOR    IN    THE    PARISH.  31 

for  them,"  says  Moody.  Give  your  prayers  feet. 
How  do  the  bees  till  the  hive?  They  go  to  the  fields. 
Where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way.  It  was  a  good 
day's  work  when  Andrew  went  out  and  brought  in 
Peter.  The  sermon  will  shake  down  nmch  fruit,  Ijut 
there  is  much  that  must  be  hand-})icked.  The  pastor 
is  watching  for  souls,  and  selects  the  occasions  that 
promise  most ;  availing  himself  of  every  argument 
of  love  and  reason  and  individual  interest.  He  can 
go  where  his  sermon  cannot,  and  speak  when  it  could 
not,  and  say  what  it  would  not  say.  Providence  is 
always  opening  fresh  opportunities,  and  the  pastor  is 
also  seeking  them  himself.  A  sick  child,  a  son  or 
daughter  away  at  school,  a  w^edding,  a  personal  trial, 
all  such  things  are  open  doors.  The  parish  work  is 
the  short  way  to  the  heart. 

There  are  six  classes  of  which  the  pastor  will  be 
always  mindful :  the  sick ;  those  in  trouble  and 
affliction  ;  children  ;  the  aged  and  infirm ;  the  stran- 
gers in  the  gates ;  and  souls  seeking  salvation. 
Others  are  reached  as  time  permits.  Opportunities 
like  these  are  like  angels  encamping  round  about  the 
pastor.  Timely  visits  make  gains  for  eternity.  Once 
lost,  the  occasion  cannot  be  recalled.  We  can  never 
draw  souls  to  Christ  as  when  trial  comes.  Then,  if 
ever,  a  man  wants  to  see  his  pastor,  and  his  heart  is 
open  to  the  best  he  can  give.  He  can  represent  his 
Master  to  the  soul's  needs,  and  make  the  Saviour's  love 


32  HOW   TO   BUILD   A    CHURCH. 

and  aid  indispensable.  It  opens  the  way  for  prayer 
and  the  taking  down  of  the  old  Bible.  Such  service 
kindles  the  soul.  It  makes  work  for  Christ  real, 
revealino"  man's  estate  and  his  needs  as  they  are.  It 
is  preparation  for  other  work.  There  is  no  school 
like  a  parish.  A  good  book  is  a  boon  to  a  minister 
if  it  is  wiser  and  better  than  he,  but  contact  with 
believing  souls  is  more  instructive  and  power-giving 
than  contact  with  books.  Souls  are  God's  star-points 
of  light  in  the  world,  —  "  living  epistles  "  are  they, 
bearinof  the  Lord's  own  imao:e  and  sisfnature.  It  is 
communion  with  the  highest  when  you  come  into  the 
inner  life  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  God ;  you 
meet  God  in  his  dealings  with  them,  and  witness  his 
wonder-working ;  and  nothing  more  strongly  con- 
vinces and  impresses  the  mind  with  a  sense  of  divine 
truth.  Pope  saw  God  in  nature.  It  is  more  to  see 
him  in  the  parish.  A  pastor  will  find  stronger 
evidences  of  Cliristianity  in  God's  dealings  with  souls 
around  him  than  in  all  the  l)Ooks  of  his  library. 
God  is  there  in  the  scenes  of  joy  and  sorrow,  birth 
and  death.  Work  for  God  in  the  harvest-fields 
of  life  is  an  educator  that  no  minister  can  do  without. 
Love  for  souls  is  the  spring  of  all  best  parish  work. 
The  bird  must  be  in  your  heart  before  you  can  find  it 
in  the  bush.  You  can  go  over  seas  and  mountains 
for  the  soul  you  love.  The  pastor  Avho  seeks  to  save 
souls  will  find  souls  to  save.      There  will  always  be 


THE   PASTOR  IN  THE   PARISH.  33 

one  more  case  —  a  straying  sheep  to  be  brought  back. 
And  how  shall  souls  ever  be  found,  except  they  are 
soujrht?  Pastoral  work  strikes  to  the  core.  To  sit 
down  beside  a  man  and  open  to  him  the  gates  of 
light,  and  let  all  you  know  of  Christ's  mercy  and 
goodness  pass  before  him,  setting  forth  the  love  and 
grace  that  wait  for  his  acceptance,  as  you  have  tasted 
them  in  your  own  soul,  Christ's  image  shining  in  you, 
and  the  accents  of  his  love  blending  with  yours,  is  to 
ofain  that  man  for  Christ.  He  will  bow  over  and 
accept  the  Beloved  whose  Spirit  pleads  at  the  door 
of  his  soul.  The  greatest  good  the  pastor  can  bestow 
on  his  people  is  to  come  to  them  in  their  homes  and 
business  in  the  fulness  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and 
such  service  is  essential  for  the  good  of  both  pastor 
and  people. 

Ministers  often  whet  their  blades  all  away  in  literary 
studies,  and  never  cut  down  thorn  or  briar  in  any 
hard  path.  They  keep  the  mind  in  the  smudge  of 
book-doubt  till  the  temper  of  the  blade  is  drawn. 
Real  contact  with  the  people  corrects  all  this,  and 
keeps  the  pastor's  heart  warm  with  love,  and  strong 
in  faith,  and  active  and  wise  in  service.  He  gathers 
up  the  dewdrops  of  God's  grace  out  of  praying 
hearts  as  he  goes,  and  his  soul  grows  fuller  until  the 
cloud  breaks  in  revival  showers.  Beinof  in  the  work 
himself,  the  pastor  can  set  all  his  people  to  work,  and 
the  Pastoral  Aid  Society  which  he  puts  in  motion, 


34  HOW   TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

carries  blessing  to   every  nook   and  corner  of  the 
community. 

It  is  possible  to  turn  every  place  into  a  pulpit  or 
to  carry  the  parish  everywhere.  See  St.  Paul  pray- 
ing with  the  elders  on  the  sand  at  Miletus,  with 
heaven  for  a  canopy,  and  the  voice  of  the  great  sea 
in  their  ears.  What  a  mighty  reaper  was  he  in  the 
parish,  shut  up  neither  to  time  nor  place  ! 

The  pastor  needs  to  visit  the  homes  of  his  people, 
and  talk  of  the  o^ood  thino^s  of  the  kinsfdom.  Where 
does  the  heart  flow  out  heavenward  more  readily  than 
at  the  board  of  hospitality,  in  the  circles  of  household 
confidence  and  affection,  under  a  friendly  roof,  shel- 
tered by  divine  care  and  surrounded  by  tokens  of 
God's  presence?  There,  with  the  children  present, 
where  the  treasures  of  years  of  experience,  both 
happy  and  bitter,  gather,  how  easy  to  speak  of  all 
God's  benefits,  and  to  let  the  happy  interview  blossom 
into  songs  of  gratitude  and  praise  from  the  quickened 
hearts  of  the  kneeling  group. 

Modern  refinement  is  difficult  of  approach,  and  the 
homes  of  wealth  reticent  concerning  Christian  expe- 
riences. But  the  pastor  is  privileged.  He  is  expected 
to  minister  to  the  soul,  and  bear  into  the  family  circle 
the  flowers  of  paradise.  The  occasion  of  such  visits 
will  be  fragrant  in  the  home  as  the  coming  of  the 
spring  lilacs,  and  dewy  Avith  the  breath  of  the  eternal 
morning. 


IV. 

THE  PASTOR  AMONG  THE  YOUTH. 

He  who  builds  the  church  of  Christ  must  save  the 
children.  If  we  save  the  children,  we  save  the 
world.  The  w^orld  is  most  easily  and  effectively 
saved  in  childhood.  The  best  Christian  workers  are 
largely  taken  and  consecrated  to  lives  of  benevolence 
and  sacrifice  and  service  from  circles  of  Christian 
youth.  Dr.  Bushnell  tells  us  of  the  out-populating 
power  of  the  Christian  stock,  exceeding  all  other  in 
its  quality  and  influence  over  men  and  nations.  The 
advanced  cohorts  of  Christ's  army  in  every  field  of 
work  and  in  all  lands  were  once  the  children  of  the 
temple.  Life  and  death  are  in  the  training  of  chil- 
dren. The  generation  which  takes  the  most  children 
alonsf  w^itli  it  for  Christ  will  do  most  to  build  his 
kingdom,  and  to  thin  the  ranks  of  the  opposition. 
Out  of  well-trained  children  we  are  to  rear  the 
strongest  defences  of  Christianity,  —  a  soldiery  of 
godly  souls,  true  to  the  great  Captain. 

The  Holy  Land  is  a  barren,  shadeless  land  for  the 
want  of  fresh  }'oung  trees.     The  church  without  the 

35 


36  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

young  ingathcred  and  trained  is  a  deserted  field. 
Though  aged  palms  are  found  in  the  courts  of  the 
Lord's  house,  we  need,  as  well,  the  straight  and 
beautiful  rods  of  youth  there.  Wise  kings  these  days 
plant  young  forests  in  all  waste  places  ;  so  wise  pas- 
tors will  be  busy  setting  plants  in  the  gardens  of  the 
Lord.  Shepherds  increase  their  flocks  by  carefully 
nursing  the  lambs ;  so  pastors  enlarge  their  folds  by 
caring  for  the  young. 

The  question  is  being  earnestly  asked,  ^^  How  can 
we  bring  the  men  to  Christ?"  Bring  in  the  boys, 
then  you  will  have  the  men.  The  boys  will  come  if 
we  seek  them  on  their  own  ground,  meeting  thoughts 
and  hearts  with  thoughts  and  hearts  that  are  kindred 
and  congenial.  Seek  the  children  early,  seek  them 
faithfully.  The  pastor's  best  work  will  be  in  giving 
direction  to  their  life  at  the  start.  The  pointing  of 
the  ofun  determines  the  entire  course  of  the  ball. 

There  is  no  escape  from  these  truths.  The 
charm  and  beauty  of  Eden  still  cling  to  the  children, 
yet  they  possess  a  sinful  nature,  and  must  have  a  new 
heart  from  above.  Selfishness  and  disobedience  and 
anger  stain  the  sparkling  fountain  of  youth,  except 
the  Spirit  of  God  renew  and  redeem  their  lives. 
No  human  training  can  take  the  place  of  this.  It 
is  the  new  life  in  Christ  Avhich  makes  the  culture 
availing  and  successful.  Though  God  has  gladdened 
the  earth  with  little  children,  if  we  would  be  spared 


TIIK    PASTOR    AMONG   THE    YOUTH.  37 

the  pain  of  seeing  them  drop  in  the  blossom,  their 
feet  must  surely  be  directed  to  Christ  and  never  mis- 
led. The  beginnings  of  the  divine  life  must  be  put 
in  their  hearts  before  the  world  gets  in. 

Many  are  the  ways  in  which  the  pastor  may  reach 
and  guide  the  children.  1.  He  will  first  secure  them 
through  the  home.  His  own  example  and  teaching 
will,  under  God,  make  each  household  a  joyous,  liv- 
ing church  of  Christ.  There  will  be  daily  family 
worship  at  the  altar,  bright  with  psalm  and  song. 
Obedience  will  be  cheerful  and  prompt ;  kindness  and 
forbearance  the  atmosphere.  The  spirit  of  Christ 
will  abide  in  father  and  mother,  leading  all  hearts  into 
loving  unity.  Good-will  and  helpfulness  one  to  an- 
other will  abound,  and  every  duty  w411  be  taught  and 
remembered  in  its  time.  Eeverence  for  God  and  his 
Word  and  day  and  house,  faith  in  Christ,  regard  for 
the  truth,  love  of  right-doing,  sorrow  for  sin,  true 
manliness,  desire  for  usefulness,  self-sacrifice  for 
others,  and  every  excellence  desirable  in  the  Chris- 
tian will  be  planted  in  the  child.  The  pastor,  thus, 
bv  seekinsf  to  make  a  true  Christian  home,  will  secure 
the  conditions  of  a  successful  start  in  the  Christian 
life  among  the  children.  They  will  bear  the  marks 
of  the  home  throucfh  life. 

2.  The  pastor  will  reach  the  children  through  the 
Bible-school ;  that  is  not  the  children's  church,  but  it 
is  the  church  and  pastor  mingling  with  the  children, 


38  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

and  laying  out  all  their  experience  and  wisdom  and 
spiritual  power  on  them  for  their  instruction  in 
righteousness.  The  pastor  is  always  in  the  Bible- 
school.  He  thus  brings  the  adults  and  youth  to- 
gether, retaining  the  older  scholars  in  the  school,  and 
all  bound  together  by  mutual  interest.  That  great 
and  widening  gulf  between  adults  and  children,  so 
harmful  to  each,  is  in  this  way  prevented.  The 
Bible-school  places  an  acting-pastor  in  the  person  of 
the  teacher  over  each  circle  of  youth.  It  affords  a 
work  to  do  which  blesses  both  teacher  and  pupil. 
It  keeps  the  heart  warm  in  service,  and  prepares  the 
whole  church  for  usefulness.  It  prevents  any  gap 
occurring  in  the  services  of  the  church.  The  young 
worship  with  the  parents,  the  adults  study  God's 
Word  with  the  young,  and  all  grow  up  together, 
homogeneous.  The  Sabbath-school  becomes  a  con- 
stant feeder  of  the  church;  the  church  becomes  a 
garden  enclosed  about  the  children.  Is  not  this  God's 
order  ? 

3.  The  pastor  will  save  the  youth  through  the  pul- 
pit. They  must  be  made  to  feel  that  they  have  a  place 
in  the  service,  and  a  part  in  the  worship ;  that  their 
presence  is  desirable,  and  their  absence  regretted. 
An  entire  sermon  to  the  young  is  good  now  and  then. 
So  is  a  five-minutes'  talk,  if  it  be  fit  and  grood  for 
adults  also.  A  special  hymn  for  the  young,  a  psalm 
read  responsively,  repeated  recognition  of  children  in 


THE    PASTOR    AMONG    THE   YOUTfl.  39 

sermons,  the  chanting  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  children 
joining,  the  keeping  of  texts  through  the  year  in  a 
little  book  adapted  for  the  purpose,  and  other  methods 
which  the  pastor  will  easily  devise  —  all  this  always 
bearing  directly  on  their  conversion  and  nurture  and 
not  on  their  diversion,  will  constantly  secure  most 
beneficial  results.  Given  a  pulpit  to  stand  in,  and  a 
Bible,  and  a  Saviour,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  a 
group  of  bright  immortals  fresh  from  the  hand  of 
God,  with  the  sunny  gleam  of  heaven  still  on  their 
faces  every  Lord's  day  in  the  year,  and  if  he  does  not 
lead  many  of  them  to  Christ  as  the  days  go  on,  God 
have  mercy  on  his  soul  !  He  has  not  yet  taken  his 
stand  on  the  heights  from  which  he  can  see  eternity. 

The  pastor  will  gather  the  young  on  certain  stated 
occasions  for  doctrinal  instruction,  laying  down  the 
great  landmarks  of  Christian  truth,  seeing  that  the 
youth  of  his  charge  are  established  firmly  and  intelli- 
gently on  the  Rock  of  Ages,  and  duly  warned  against 
the  pitfalls  and  dangers  of  this  present  evil  world. 
And  if  he  have  in  his  hand  a  catechism  outlinino^  for 
substance  of  doctrine  the  royal  path  along  which  mil- 
lions of  God's  children  have  walked  securely  and  re- 
joicingly home  to  glory,  nobody  will  be  hurt  by  this. 

The  pastor  will  wish  to  have  young  people's  meet- 
ings and  gatherings  for  Christian  endeavor  where 
workers  may  be  trained  for  special  lines  of  usefulness, 
the   study  of    missions,  the   practice  of   benevolent 


40  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

giving,  and  the  art  of  gathering  in  the  straying. 
He  will  give  them  printed  matter  to  read.  He  will 
guide  them  to  habits  of  usefulness.  He  will  enlist 
every  young  person's  service  in  some  fit  way,  where 
a  responsibility  will  develop  the  character  by  sound 
and  healthful  growth.  His  motto  will  be  :  "A  work 
for  every  boy,  and  a  boy  for  every  work." 

Among  the  objects  which  the  pastor  will  keep  up- 
permost, is  the  search  among  the  young  for  those  who 
shall  become  missionaries  and  ministers  and  teachers 
and  devoted  workers  in  the  Church  of  God.  To  this 
end  he  will  labor  and  pray  diligently,  never  content  till 
his  church  is  in  that  state  of  spiritual  life,  that  shall 
be  constantly  yielding  young  men  for  the  college  and 
the  ministry,  and  daughters  for  the  seminary,  and 
minute-men  for  all  the  diversities  of  service  called  for 
by  the  church.  A  church  bearing  such  fruit  is  happy 
and  blessed  above  all  the  households  of  faith.  Begin- 
ning with  the  young,  every  pastor  may  do  this,  and 
end  the  famine  in  the  ranks  of  the  ministry. 

There  is  great  advantage  here  through  personal 
intercourse  with  the  young  as  Providence  opens  the 
way.  The  Timothies  who  have  known  the  Scrip- 
tures from  a  child,  and  been  taught  the  foith  at  the 
mother's  knee  may,  in  a  sacred  hour  of  personal 
communion  with  the  pastor,  decide  to  preach  the 
glorious  gospel  at  home,  or  to  bear  the  cross  over 
strange  seas  to  the  dark  places  of  the  earth. 


Y. 

THE  PASTOR   IN  THE   PRAYER-MEETING. 

The  secret  power  with  God  is  prayer.  The  prayer- 
meeting  is  the  most  important  circle  that  gathers  in 
the  church,  both  in  its  influence  on  Christians  and  on 
the  world.  The  Church  of  Christ  was  born  in  a  ten- 
days'  prayer-meeting,  and  it  must  still  be  found  in 
the  place  of  prayer.  In  building  the  Church  of  God, 
prayer  has  the  tirst  place.  Before  sermon  or  parish 
work  is  prayer.  Above  all  other  services  is  the 
prayer  service.  God  calls  his  house  a  House  of 
Prayer.  He  rears  his  church  over  the  wells  of  salva- 
tion, and  by  prayer  the  water  of  life  with  joy  is 
drawn.  The  believer  that  is  always  there  receives 
and  gives  a  blessing  which  will  hardly  be  exceeded 
by  any  other  work  he  ever  does. 

The  prayer-meeting  must  have  the  pastor  for  its 
guide.  There  may  be  scores  of  godly  and  able  mem- 
bers, but  he  stands  at  the  centre,  and  none  can  under- 
stand the  needs  and  fitnesses,  and  bring  out  the  gifts 
and  ojraces  as  he  can.  An  enofine  on  the  deck  of  a 
steamship  moves  nothing ;  but  planted  at  the  heart 

41 


42  HOW  TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

of  the  vessel,  fired  and  throbbing,  it  gears  on  to 
everything ;  each  part  finds  its  place  and  use,  and  the 
whole  ship  is  in  motion.  So  the  pastor  is  the  heart 
of  fire  at  the  hour  of  prayer,  setting  everytliing  in 
order,  calling  each  talent  into  service,  and  giving 
direction  and  movement. 

The  staple  of  the  prayer-meeting  is  its  spirituality. 
It  is  not  a  sociable,  though  it  is  social.  It  is  not  a 
talking  and  singing  meeting,  though  men  talk  and  sing 
with  the  heart.  It  is  not  a  solemn  rehearsal  of  prayer- 
meeting  prayers  ;  nor  is  it  a  weekly  lecture  by  the  pas- 
tor, made  up  of  what  is  left  over.  Such  a  meeting  is 
the  poppy  among  the  flowers  in  the  garden  of  plants. 
Nothing  can  be  substituted  for  the  pure  gold  of  devo- 
tion. Sprightliness  and  skill  in  displaying  trifles  will 
not  pass.  You  cannot  have  a  soul-moving  prayer- 
meeting  without  soul-moving  piety.  There  is  auroral 
light,  and  there  are  many  stars,  small  and  great,  but 
it  is  the  sun  that  creates  the  day.  The  one  thing  that 
makes  the  hour  of  prayer  blessed  is  the  light  of  the 
living  God  in  the  souls  of  his  communing  children. 
If  our  prayer-meetings  are  poor,  it  is  because  our 
piety  is  shallow.  Nothing  will  make  them  powerful 
and  profitable  like  more  godliness.  Deepen  the  con- 
secration and  you  deepen  the  interest  and  helpfulness. 
When  the  church  has  had  most  form,  it  has  had  least 
prayer;  when  its  power  has  been  greatest,  it  has 
been  oftenest  bowed  at  the  mercy-seat.     The  gift  of 


THE   PASTOR   IN   THE   PRAYER-MEETING.  43 

knees  is  Pentecost.  Wealth,  worldliness,  and  fashion 
fly  to  form  and  say  prayers.  Living  faith  lifts  the 
heart  and  bends  the  knee.  George  Herbert,  in  his 
"Priest  to  the  Temple,"  strange  to  say,  makes  no 
mention  of  the  prayer-meeting.  It  was  choked  by 
the  ritual,  as  it  is  now  at  times  by  unbelief,  by  con- 
clusions of  science,  speculations  of  philosophy,  and 
the  hi<2:her  criticism. 

Preparation  for  the  hour  of  prayer  is  essential.  It 
will  not  go  itself,  however  good  the  saints  that  are 
gathered.  It  requires  as  much  time  and  thought  to 
be  charged  for  it  as  it  does  for  a  sermon  ;  and  the 
conduct  of  it,  as  much  wisdom  and  skill.  It  deals 
with  the  greatest  principles  of  our  being,  and  with 
the  most  vital  doctrines  of  revelation.  He  who 
guides  it,  —  his  mind  must  be  taught  of  God,  his 
heart  must  be  near  Christ's  heart,  and  his  ear  long  at 
the  lips  of  his  Lord.  The  leader  will  not  go  up 
lightly  from  the  Avorld  to  this  gathering,  but  come 
down  as  from  the  high  places,  his  face  made  like 
Moses'  face,  from  secret  communings. 

The  prayer-meeting  is  a  place  of  power.  Miracles 
are  done  in  it.  When  the  disciples  were  praying,  the 
Holy  Spirit  descended.  When  the  church  was  pray- 
ing at  John  Mark's  house,  Peter  was  let  out  of  prison 
by  an  angel.  When  the  church  prays  now,  there  is 
answer  in  India  and  China  and  Africa.  While  Chris- 
tians pray  there  is  fresh  anointing   from  on  high ; 


44  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

they  become  strong  in  the  Lord  and  the  power  of  his 
might.  The  hour  we  stop  doing  for  God  and  spend 
in  communino^  Avith  him  is  the  most  streno^theninof  in 
the  week.  More  prayers  and  less  words.  Less  time 
with  men,  and  more  with  God.  We  o^et  the  victory 
in  the  prayer-room  where  no  eye  sees  but  God's,  and 
all  hearts  are  one  before  Him. 

The  prayer  circle  is  a  place  of  instruction.  Prayer 
is  a  great  teacher.  The  Avord  of  truth  is  unfolded 
there  ;  mysteries  are  explained ;  promises  are  ful- 
filled ;  deliverances  are  wrought ;  what  God  teacheu 
in  prayer  is  pure  truth ;  Avhat  we  learn  on  our  knees, 
Ave  never  unlearn. 

The  place  of  prayer  is  a  place  of  rest  after  toil,  oi' 
comfort  in  perplexity  and  trouble.  It  is  good  to 
draw  near  to  God.  "Draw  nigh  unto  me  and  I  Avill 
draw  nigh  unto  you."  The  gates  to  the  mercy-seat 
are  many,  and,  like  those  to  the  Golden  City,  stand 
open  day  and  night,  that  every  soul  may  enter  in. 
It  is  a  place  of  felloAvship.  Next  to  the  joy  of  heaven 
is  the  gladness  of  hearts  gathered  together  in  prayer. 
It  is  a  place  for  conversion  of  souls.  Of  hoAv  many 
it  shall  be  AA'ritten  :  "They  were  born  there."  It  is  a 
place  for  replenishing  the  daily  losses  of  the  heart, 
and  enthroning:  God  ac^ain  at  the  seat  of  the  soul.  A 
Christian  is  always  helped  in  his  association  Avitii 
other  Christians.  Single  coals  do  not  hold  fire,  but 
gathered  together  there  is  glow.     Double  the  number 


THE   PASTOR  IN  THE   PRAYER-MEETING.  45 

in  this  fellowship  and  commission,  and  you  more  than 
double  the  interest  and  power  of  the  meeting. 

A  definite  object  is  desirable,  toward  Avhich  the 
current  of  the  meeting  presses,  that  it  may  gather 
force  as  it  goes,  and  draw  into  itself  the  cold  and 
waiting  ones.  Variety  is  important ;  sameness  is 
tameness.  The  tree  of  life  bears  twelve  manner  of 
fruit,  a  great  diversity ;  and  it  sheds  its  leaves  every 
prayer-meeting  hour  for  the  healing  of  God's  children. 
Many  a  leader  runs  the  wheels  of  salvation  into  the 
old  rut  early  in  the  meeting,  and  there  he  is  stuck, 
with  no  help  from  saint  or  sinner. 

Make  the  meeting  the  centre  of  Christian  work  and 
benevolence.  Let  the  best  life  of  the  church  gather 
there ;  cause  it  to  be  a  place  of  resort  and  comfort  for 
all  the  weary  and  heavy  laden,  bringing  what  they 
have  learned  in  the  daily  conflict  of  life  ;  what  defeats 
and  what  progress ;  see  that  it  is  the  register  of  all 
best  thoughts,  feelings,  struggles,  and  triumphs  for 
each  week.  Make  it  a  praise-meeting  now  and  then. 
Let  each  one  give  a  reason  for  thanksgiving ;  recount 
hindrances  to  the  better  life  ;  sing  sometimes  through 
the  entire  hour,  alternating  after  each  verse  with 
prayer. 

Have  a  conference  on  such  subjects  as  Sabbath- 
keeping,  family  worship,  training  of  children,  amuse- 
ments, and  so  on.  Let  any  ask  for  prayers.  Suggest 
a  season  of  silent  prayer ;  join  in  the  Lord's  Prayer. 


46  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

Write  out  a  covenant  each  one,  and  resolutions, 
and  let  them  be  presented.  Have  a  Scripture  read- 
ing, all  taking  part.  Privately  ask  several  before- 
hand to  take  part  one  after  another  without  being 
called  on.  For  a  Bible  lesson,  at  the  opening,  let 
each  one  repeat  a  verse,  and  so  read  the  Scriptures 
from  the  tablet  of  memory.  Print  a  list  of  subjects 
and  circulate  them.  Have  a  question-box.  Give  out 
the  subject  from  the  pulpit  Sunday.  Be  on  the  watch 
for  fresh  experience  of  God's  love  and  goodness,  of 
promises  fulfilled,  of  aid  rendered,  and  prayers  an- 
swered, and  new  conversions,  and  let  the  facts  be 
spoken  to  the  praise  of  God. 

At  the  besrinnins:  of  a  meetins^  «:ive  out  a  livino^ 
topic,  and  name  six  brethren  before  you  to  speak  on 
it,  three  minutes  each,  and  after  singing  and  prayer 
call  on  them.  If  the  meeting  refuses  to  go  at  any 
time,  turn  it  into  a  conversation,  all  risinsf  and  m-eet- 
ing  the  next  neighbor ;  they  will  soon  find  their 
tongues.  Appoint  several  members  quietly  before- 
hand to  discuss  a  subject,  and  set  it  going  without 
any  public  warning.  Let  a  verse  of  Scripture  be 
handed  to  each  one  on  entering,  to  be  read  or  recited 
in  due  time,  and  given  away  to  some  one  before  Sun- 
day. There  should  be  a  great  deal  of  Bible  in  the 
meetings.  Sit  in  silence  a  little  time  now  and  then 
with  God  and  your  own  thoughts.  Let  all  bow  some- 
times, and   one  after  another  utter  a   sentence   of 


THE    PASTOR   IN    THE    PIIAYER-MEETING.  47 

prayer  that  most  presses  on  the  heart,  without  rising. 
Take  much  pains  with  the  music.  Short  sentiments 
in  prose  and  verse  may  be  repeated  by  the  young 
with  profit.  Talk  about  the  prayer-meeting  through 
the  week.  Never  scold,  or  tease,  or  worry  the 
members.  If  you  have  any  criticism  or  rebuke  to 
give,  do  it  in  private.  Make  it  the  happiest  hour  in 
the  week,  and  the  most  helpful  place  for  the  soul. 
Let  it  all  be  mellowed  and  sanctified  by  the  spirit  of 
prayer.  Ask  all  the  church  to  come,  and  make  the 
hour  so  profitable  to  the  inner  life  that  they  cannot 
aftbrd  to  stay  away.  You  cannot  drive  the  bees  with 
a  whip,  but  plant  a  clover  field  and  you  will  get 
them,  and  they  will  fill  the  hive  with  honey. 


VI. 

THE    PASTOR    DEALING  WITH    SKEPTICISM. 

The  pastor,  in  dealing  with  skeptics,  will  make  it 
his  steadfast  aim  to  win  them  to  Christ.  The  way 
to  melt  hardened  steel  is  to  give  draught  to  the 
furnace  fires ;  the  w^ay  for  the  pastor  to  draw 
unbelievers  to  the  truth  is  to  have  his  own  heart  hot 
w^ith  love  for  souls.  When  the  great  Refiner  of 
silver  sits  by  the  pastor's  heart  till  the  Refiner  can 
see  his  own  face  there,  the  skeptic  also  will  see  in  the 
pastor's  heart  the  divine  face,  and  be  drawn  by  the 
power  of  redeeming  love.  The  pastor  then  will 
first  charge  himself  with  fault  for  his  own  low  tone 
of  faith  and  life,  and  reproach  himself  that  he  has  so 
held  forth  the  Word  of  life,  that  there  are  any  in  the 
parish  who  doubt  the  truth  of  the  glorious  gospel  of 
the  blessed  God.  With  God's  word  in  his  hand, 
"  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come  "  on  his  side,  and 
the  Almighty  God  over  him,  the  honest  skeptics  will 
be  few.  Pastors  have  to  blame  themselves  for  much 
of  the  unbelief  of  the  day,  since  their  own  doubts 
keep  them  away  from  the  cross,  and  carry  others 

48 


THE   TASTOll   DEALING   WITH   SKErTICISM.  49 

farther  than  they  themselves  drift.  When  the  life  of 
God  fills  the  souls  of  his  people,  doubt  and  unbelief 
find  little  place,  and  that  will  be  less  and  less  if  the 
pastor  put  the  power  of  piety  against  infidelity  as  the 
best  cure. 

1.  The  pastor  will  be  patient  with  the  doubters. 
Christ  was  with  Thomas,  and  won  him.  Thomas  had 
good  stuff  in  him,  such  as  eminent  Christians  are 
made  of.  When  Christ  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  know- 
ing that  he  should  meet  his  death,  no  words  could 
be  grander  than  Thomas's  :  "  Let  us  go  up  too,  that 
we  may  die  wath  him."  But  when  his  Lord  was 
really  dead,  his  faith  received  a  great  shock.  He 
drew  off  by  himself  for  a  time,  unbelieving.  But 
Jesus  w^as  patient  with  him.  He  did  not  taunt  him, 
nor  storm  at  him.  And  Avhen  Thomas  finally  came 
to  him  at  the  meeting,  Christ's  goodness  won  him. 
By  patience,  a  true  soul  was  rescued  from  the  snare 
of  doubt.     This  is  our  Lord's  own  example  for  our 

use. 

"  There  is  nothing  so  kingly  as  kindness, 
There  is  nothing  so  royal  as  truth." 

2.  The  pastor  will  be  Christ-like  in  dealing  with 
unbelievers.  That  is  more  than  to  be  patient.  He 
will  meet  their  darkness  with  that  "  true  light  which 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,"  and 
not  with  his  own  human  weapons.  ''  In  Christ  was 
life  ;  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men."     The  pastor 


50  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

being  himself  in  the  light,  will  "  bear  witness  to  the 
light,  that  all  men  through  him  might  believe." 
Unheeding  the  flings  and  jeers  of  skeptics,  and  blind 
to  their  hostility,  the  pastor's  fervent  longing  that 
they  may  know  Christ  and  come  to  the  true  light,  will 
melt  the  ice  of  their  hearts,  and  the  warmth  of  his 
love  for  them  under  their  criticism  will  carry  con- 
viction to  their  minds.  For  the  perversity  of  men 
the  Lord  bore  the  cross  and  conquered.  The  pastor's 
own  heart-break  for  their  rescue  from  sin  will 
prevail.  Love  is  the  strongest  power  in  the  world, 
for  God  is  love.  Railing  accusations  set  the  teeth  of 
unbelievers  on  edge.  It  is  Greek  meeting  Greek. 
When  the  pastor  stoops  to  this,  he  is  a  loser.  The 
weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal.  Any  purpose 
to  triumph  over  unbelievers  in  contests  of  argument, 
to  ridicule  them,  or  to  humiliate  and  make  a  show  of 
them  openly,  only  provokes  opposition.  Nothing  is 
gain  to  the  pastor  but  the  gain  of  their  souls  to 
Christ ;  and  in  this  victory  of  grace  both  pastor  and 
unbeliever  are  alike  blessed.  When  God's  goodness 
leadeth  to  repentance,  no  one  is  conquered.  Un- 
believers can  stand  anything  better  than  the  steady 
flow  of  that  love  that  sufiereth  long  and  is  kind,  that 
vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  provoked,  that  beareth  all 
thino^s  and  never  faileth.  It  is  not  said  that  the  time 
never  comes  when  a  mean  and  dishonest  infidelity 
may  not  be  soundly  lashed  by  a  whip  of  cords  and 


THE   PASTOR   DEALING   WITH   SKEPTICISM.  51 

shown  up  by  a  righteous  indignation,  but  never  with 
a  carnal  heart  gratifying  the  flesh.  It  is  always  the 
new  life  of  Christ  in  the  soul,  and  not  the  old  one  of 
sin,  that  conquers  the  opposers.  The  ^' old  man"  in 
the  Christian  must  keep  out  of  the  fight,  however 
much  he  aches  to  get  in.  "  Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will 
repay,  saith  the  Lord." 

3.  The  pastor,  in  dealing  with  skepticism,  Avill  be 
filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  every  soul  is  renewed.  The  Bible  is  a  dead  book 
to  a  soul  dead  in  sin  ;  and  a  sermon  without  the  spirit 
is  a  dry  bough,  though  plucked  from  a  cedar  of 
Lebanon,  and  having  in  learning  and  manner  all  the 
excellency  of  Carmel.  It  is  not  social  nor  mental 
power  that  is  to  transform  this  world,  but  the  power 
of  the  Spirit  of  God.  God  taught  the  prophets,  "  It 
is  not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit." 
Christ  taught  the  disciples,  "  It  is  not  ye  that  speak, 
but  the  spirit  of  your  Father  which  speaketh  in  you." 
When  Peter  stood  up  to  deliver  the  first  discourse 
under  Christianity,  he  preached  not  his  own  wisdom, 
nor  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  its  learning,  philosophy 
or  science,  "  lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should  be  of 
none  efiect."  He  preached  the  gospel  of  the  cross  by 
the  power  of  the  spirit,  and  God  opened  the  hearts  of 
the  hearers  to  receive  it.  Peter  did  not  load  himself 
with  human  arguments  for  a  conflict  with  unbelievers. 
He  was  not  a  "disputer  of  this  world."     "Ye  must 


52  HOW  TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

be  born  again."  The  heart  must  be  renewed,  and 
its  disposition  changed.  God  had  taught  him  that, 
and  promised  the  power.  Peter  depended  upon 
the  promise,  and  looked  not  in  vain.  The  Spirit, 
as  he  spoke,  was  manifested,  and  men  cried  out 
for  deliverance.  This  result  came  through  their 
hearts  as  he  preached,  the  Spirit  convicting  them 
of  sin  and  moving  them  to  seek  immediate  salva- 
tion. When  Paul  came  to  Corinth,  it  was  "not  in 
the  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in  demon- 
stration of  the  Spirit  and  of  power. '^  "  He  had  not 
received  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which 
is  of  God"  for  his  hope  of  success.  He  did  not 
expect  their  "  faith  to  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men, 
but  in  the  power  of  God."  His  words  were  accord- 
ing to  "  the  wisdom  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth," 
and  souls  were  thus  born  by  the  Spirit  with  which  he 
was  filled  into  the  light  and  joy  of  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Very  truly  may  Paul  say  to  those  who  are  set 
to  lead  men  out  of  doubt  and  unbelief,  "  Be  filled 
with  the  Spirit !  "  The  Spirit  of  Pentecost  still  lives. 
It  is  when  the  pastor  is  filled  with  the  Spirit  in 
preaching  the  Word,  that  blind  eyes  are  opened, 
deaf  ears  unstopped,  and  unbelieving  hearts  are 
made  to  see  and  receive  the  redemption  of  Christ. 
The  pastor  will  learn  this  secret  of  power  with  God, 
hardest  of  all  truths  to  learn,  and  bring  in  many 
unbelievers.     The  sling  of  David  brought  in  Goliath 


THE    PASTOR    DEALING    WITH    SKEPTICISM.  53 

against  all  human  expectation.  To  l)c  filled  with  the 
Spirit  is  the  pastor's  sling.  He  can  say,  "  I  have  no 
words  of  human  power  and  wisdom  to  go  against  so 
great  a  host,  but  I  have  the  Spirit  and  promise  of 
God,  and  herein  is  the  biding  of  power." 

4.  The  pastor,  in  dealing  with  infidelity,  will  be 
mighty  in  the  Scriptures.  The  Bible  belongs  to  the 
weak  things  of  this  world  and  the  things  that  are 
not,  in  human  esteem,  bringing  to  naught  the  things 
that  are,  the  institutions  and  powers  that  so  impress 
and  dazzle  the  world.  The  Bible  is  "  wheat  and  not 
bread,"  and,  when  cast  into  the  soil  of  faith,  grows, 
and  no  power  can  stop  it.  The  little  kernel  gives  no 
promise  of  the  greatness  of  the  harvest.  The  pastor 
will  be  a  sower  going  forth  to  sow  on  the  fields  of 
life.  The  tares  will  perish,  but  the  grain  is  not  for 
death.  The  Bible  is  an  arsenal  for  the  pastor's  use  ; 
everything  he  needs  is  there  shaped  by  divine  wisdom. 
It  is  a  theological  seminary.  It  is  the  library  for 
the  whole  church  of  God.  To  know  it  in  head  and 
heart,  by  prayer  and  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  is 
above  all  other  knowledge.  It  is  the  rod  put  in  the 
pastor's  hand,  by  which  he  is  to  lead  darkened  and 
doubting  men  through  sea  and  wilderness  to  the  final 
home.  "The  entrance  of  thy  Word  giveth  light." 
How  many  times,  when  dealing  with  unbelief,  has 
an  arrow  from  this  quiver  been  efiective  ! 

5.  The  pastor  will  aim  at  great  results.  Pour 
in  the   light    of    the    Gospel   on   the   darkness    of 


54  HOW   TO   BUILD   A    CHURCH. 

doubt.  Establish  the  true  in  all  wisdom  as  against 
the  false.  Cause  men  to  see  the  right  way  over  the 
wrons:.  Preach  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  not  as  it 
is  in  sentiment  or  poetry,  or  the  wisdom  of  this  Avorld. 
Set  a  system  of  truth  before  men,  and  show  them 
what  to  believe.  Every  time  you  strike  down  an 
error,  lift  up  a  sound  doctrine.  Whenever  men  see 
the  better,  it  will  be  easier  to  drop  the  worse.  Doubt 
and  unbelief  are  negative.  Infidelity  is  not  a  prin- 
ciple, it  is  a  mood.  The  other  side  of  unbelief  is 
faith.  When  doul)t  is  orone,  belief  is  come.  The 
pulpit  is  for  enlightenment  as  well  as  for  conversion. 
Bring  forth  your  strong  arguments.  Cause  the  people 
to  o^row  in  the  knowledoe  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Let  there  be  instruction  in  righteousness.  Our 
modern  faith  has  breadth  ;  give  it  depth  and  intensity. 
The  army  of  Gideon  increased  in  power  when  it  was 
reduced  in  numbers.  Fill  not  men's  hearts  with  all 
conceivable  objections  which  they  never  thought  of 
before,  and  then  try  to  answer  them.  Give  the 
truth  bathed  with  holv  fire.  Preach  no  lonsfer  on 
little  themes,  but  great  ones.  Build  up  Jerusalem 
with  vast  blocks  of  stone  hewn  out  of  the  mountains 
of  God.  Be  no  longer  babes  with  milk ;  produce 
strong  meat.  Under  such  a  treatment  there  may  be 
waves  of  skepticism  and  moods  of  doubt  and  unbelief, 
but  they  will  be  transient,  and  there  will  l)e,  as  in  the 
flowing  of  the  tides,  steady  gain  till  the  saving  knowl- 
edge of  God  floods  the  earth. 


VII. 
THE  PASTOR  IN   REVIVALS. 

"  The  God  that  answereth  by  fire,  let  him  be  God." 
In  settino:  forth  the  o^ifts  that  commend  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  Paul  mentions,  among  others,  the.  posses- 
sion of  "  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  power  of  God."  (2  Cor. 
vi  :  6,  7.)  God's  ambassadors  must  be  Holy  Ghost 
men,  power-of-God  men.  Revival  work  must  be  a 
leadins:  feature  in  the  w^orkof  ministers  and  churches. 
To  labor  among  the  youth,  bringing  them  early  into 
the  fold,  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  Home  piety 
and  the  Christian  culture  of  children  is  a  foundation 
stone  in  Zion.  But  our  Saviour  did  not  stop  there, 
and  the  church  must  not.  Christ's  mission  ended  at 
Pentecost,  where  that  of  his  disciples  began,  — with 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  revival  power. 

The  church  has  therefore  two  special  arms  of  ser- 
vice—  child  nurture  and  revival  work.  The  one 
secures  the  young  and  tender  before  they  stray,  the 
other  reclaims  the  hardened  and  wandering.  By  the 
former,  covenant  mercies  are  distilled  into  the  heaii; 
of  childhood,  bringing  salvation  quietly  as  the  morn- 


56  HOW   TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

ing  dawns ;  by  the  latter,  the  stout-souled  sinner  is 
convinced  of  sin,  and  brought  to  the  feet  of  Jesus. 

God  is  God  both  of  dew  and  of  lire.  The  Christian 
training  of  children  provides  for  one  whole  side  of  the 
community,  —  folding  the  lambs  ;  but  the  pastor  will 
find  that  he  needs  revival  power  from  God  to  reach  the 
unbelieving  and  godless  ones  moving  down  the  broad 
way  to  death  on  the  other  side  of  the  community.  The 
experience  of  ages  shows  that  the  pious  care  of  chil- 
dren, aided  by  baptismal  water,  and  catechism,  and 
confirmation,  without  times  of  refreshino^  from  on 
high  to  give  depth  and  power  to  their  piety,  results 
in  a  lifeless,  formal  church.  It  needs  a  spark  of  the 
new  life  from  "  the  God  that  answers  by  fire."  A 
reviving  from  the  Holy  Spirit  gives  new  life  to  the 
church  and  new  power  to  truth  and  doctrine. 

The  pastor,  in  building  the  church,  will  give  both 
these  truths  a  place  in  his  plans  of  work.  They  do 
not  come  into  conflict.  They  help  each  other. 
Neither  one  can  be  dispensed  with  without  great  loss. 
While  we  hold  fast  to  the  covenant-keeping  God,  to 
the  gentle  "Shepherd  who  shall  gather  the  lambs 
with  his  arm  and  carry  them  in  his  bosom,"  let  us,  for 
the  sake  of  the  waste  places  and  dark  corners  in  every 
parish,  keep  near  that  Mighty  One  who  speaks  to 
stony  hearts  in  tongues  of  flame.  This  is  the  priv- 
ilege of  every  pastor.  It  is  the  highest  gift  of  God 
to  the  ministry ;  the  anointing  from  heaven  for  the 


THE   PASTOR    IN    REVIVALS.  57 

conversion  of  souls.  The  pastor  may  or  may  not  be 
aided  by  evangelists  or  other  pastors  ;  the  spiritual 
awakening  in  his  church  may  be  more  or  less  extended 
or  frequent,  but  it  is  his  own  prerogative  as  a  minister 
of  God,  endued  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  power 
of  God,  to  see  many  souls  converted  from  sin,  and 
the  miracle  of  the  new  birth  so  wrought  upon  the 
hearts  of  worldly  and  wicked  men  that  the  entire 
church  shall  be  moved  midst  tears  of  penitence  and 
gratitude  to  new  consecration  and  better  service. 
Let  no  pastor  say  that  these  gifts  of  God  are  for 
others  and  not  for  himself,  until  he  has  waited  all  the 
night  long,  many  a  night,  at  the  gates  of  the  Temple, 
praying  and  longing  for  the  light  as  one  that  watcheth 
for  the  morning,  and  until  God  finally  makes  answer 
that  there  is  no  more  mercy  in  the  skies  for  lost  men  ; 
that  the  wells  of  salvation  are  dry,  and  the  promises 
of  redemption  recalled. 

If  all  the  gods  who  are  asleep  or  away  on  a  journey 
when  they  are  worshipped,  and  Avho  only  supply 
fancies  and  vaporings  to  the  pulpit,  were  cast  out  for 
the  one  God  of  Pentecost,  what  increase  of  power 
there  would  be.  To  sit  down  on  these  s^ods  as 
Rachel  did  would  be  a  step  forward  in  the  art  of  win- 
ning souls,  and  the  preaching  that  converts  nobody 
would  end.  The  final  test  of  all  doctrine  and  method 
is  fruit-bearinof.  Our  churches  must  vield  more 
fruit,  and   have   greater   power   with    God,  revival 


58  HOW    TO    BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

power.  The  pastor  must  "  speak  as  one  having 
authority,  and  not  as  the  Scribes."  The  grace  that 
converts  one  soul  Avill  avail  as  well  for  a  hundred.  It 
is  as  near  at  hand,  and  as  easily  entreated. 

If  the  pastor  will  carry  a  soul-saving  faith  and 
prayerfulness  and  courage,  he  may  secure  many 
conversions  as  surely  as  a  few.  He  will  constantly 
watch  his  hour  when  he  may  move  out  into  deeper 
waters  and  cast  his  net  in  on  the  other  side,  drawing 
it  in  full. 

Christ  walks  all  the  waves  of  life  with  hands  out- 
stretched to  save.  The  church  needs  nothing  so  much 
as  to  be  led  out  on  these  wide  waters  to  rescue  sink- 
inof  souls. 

The  pastor,  then,  builds  thoroughly  and  powerfully 
when  he  seeks  for  his  church  the  converting  presence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  His  promised  fulness.  Such 
periods  of  divine  quickening  accomplish  great  results. 
They  arouse  the  indifferent,  and  reach  the  careless. 
A  great  number  of  those  who  have  had  no  early  re- 
ligious training,  or  have  passed  to  manhood  untouched 
by  it  will  be  saved  in  no  other  way. 

By  revival  work  I  do  not  mean  such  spasmodic 
efforts  as  are  followed  hy  long  periods  of  repose,  or 
to  such  as  leave  the  converts  uncared  for  to  return  to 
their  old  ways.  I  mean  a  faithful  ingathering  after 
sowing  —  a  sowing  in  order  to  a  speedy  and  full 
reaping. 


THE   PASTOR   IN   REVIVALS.  59 

The  indifference  to  the  harvest  sometimes  seen  — 
pastors  thinking  if  they  only  sow  and  go  to  sleep  sow- 
ing, God  will  bring  in  the  sheaves  —  is  a  fallacy  and 
a  sin.  While  the  good  man  sleeps,  the  enemy  fills 
the  field  with  tares.  God  uses  harvesters  of  living, 
tireless  men,  and  He  needs  man}^  for  the  fields  that 
are  white.  "  In  due  time  we  shall  reap."  In  many 
churches  the  time  is  overdue  because  the  pastor  has 
not  put  in  the  sickle,  but  has  been  waiting  for  God 
to  do  it. 

Kevivals  will  always  have  opposers ;  nevertheless, 
revivals  are  a  part  of  God's  plan  in  saving  the  world. 
The  church  was  begun  in  a  revival,  and  in  spiritual 
outpouring  it  shall  end,  nations  being  born  in  a  day, 
the  glory  of  God  filling  the  earth.  Earth's  hope  is  in 
these  visits  of  God  to  his  people.  '^  The  Lord,  whom 
ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come  to  His  temple."  (Mai. 
3,  i.) 

Revivals  awaken  respect  and  awe  for  Christianity. 
Skeptics  who  have  ridiculed  the  Bible  feel  the  might 
of  God,  and  the  testimony  of  bad  men  converted 
shuts  the  mouths  of  boasters,  shaking  down  the  castle 
of  self-riofhteousness.  Revivals  make  the  Bible  a  new 
book.  They  deepen  piety,  incite  to  prayer,  lift  up 
the  family  altar,  and  quicken  all  the  drooping  graces 
of  the  church.  Laymen  are  set  to  work,  new  streams 
of  influence  are  opened,  and  men  are  raised  up  to 
special  service.      Difficulties  are  healed,  alienations 


60  HOW   TO    BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

overcome,  brotherly  love  made  to  abound,  and  knowl- 
edge and  experience  of  Christian  truth  extended.  In 
revivals  God  and  Eternity  seem  great,  Christ's  love 
near  and  precious,  and  Christian  duty  pressing. 

Revivals  bring  the  church  back  to  the  simplicities 
of  doctrine  and  worship,  and  Christian  living.  They 
awaken  regard  for  the  Sabbath  and  the  house  of  God., 
the  prayer-meeting,  and  all  the  divine  ordinances.. 
The}^  fill  up  the  evening  service,  and  make  that  houi' 
the  best  in  the  Sabbath  for  reachino:  and  savins^  th(! 
masses.  By  revivals  ministers  and  churches  are  mor(t 
united,  pastors  and  people  are  drawn  into  mon-i 
endearing  fellowship  and  better  established,  benevo- 
lence is  enlarged,  lost  jo}^  restored,  and  both  honid 
and  public  standards  of  piety  are  elevated.  Revival;.* 
make  preaching  more  Scriptural  and  pointed.  Th(4 
Word  of  God,  pure  and  simple,  comes  to  the  front. 
A  personal  Christ  is  set  forth,  and  the  evil  of  sin  and 
the  eternal  loss  of  the  soul  without  salvation. 

The  doctrines  of  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
forgiveness  of  sin  through  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and 
the  rewards  and  retributions  at  the  judgment  day., 
are  made  vivid  and  weighty,  half-truths  and  heresie* 
starve,  and  sectarianism  gives  place  to  brotherly  love . 

Revivals  take  churches  out  of  the  rounds  of  formal- 
ism and  the  fashions  and  pomps  of  this  world,  putting 
new  life  into  everything.  They  lighten  the  burdens 
of  the  ministry.     It  is  never  so  easy  to  preach  and 


THE    PASTOR    IN    REVIVALS.  61 

pray  as  in  the  Spirit's  presence.  They  pay  church 
debts,  lift  up  the  fallen,  and  give  the  church  a  wider 
field  and  a  fresh  lease  of  life  and  usefulness.  Many 
"  almost  persuaded,"  will  never  start  till  this  time 
comes.  Missionaries  and  ministers  and  teachers  are 
born  in  revivals,  and  great  Christian  societies  which 
bless  the  world  follow  them.  The  church  is  always 
becominof  cold  and  entano^led  with  the  world  without 
this  freshening  power  of  the  Spirit. 

A  revival  is  another  chapter  added  to  the  Book  of 
Acts.  Ministers  and  churches  must  have  such  sea- 
sons of  divine  renewal,  consecrating  hearts  more  fully, 
multiplying  ofterings,  increasing  service,  moving 
thought  and  feeling  profoundly  toward  God  and  the 
new  life. 

The  breath  of  the  Highest  is  on  the  community, 
and  the  hearts  of  believers  yield  a  sweet  odor  like 
the  fragrance  of  spices  outpoured. 


YIII. 
THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  TEACHING  GOD'S  WORD. 

It  is  a  joy  to  teach  God's  Word,  to  prepare  for  it, 
to  anticipate  it,  carrying  it  in  one's  heart.  Many  are 
the  teachers  all  over  our  land  who  knoAv  this  blessed- 
ness.    Our  Bible-schools  are  full  of  them. 

There  is  a  blessing  in  the  preparation.  Among 
the  happiest  hours  are  those  with  the  open  Bible  at 
the  feet  of  the  great  Teacher.  A  Sunday-school 
class  is  a  good  spur  to  Bible  study.  In  this  busy  age 
many  a  Christian  is  at  a  loss  for  time  to  read,  much 
less  to  search  the  Scriptures.  This  duty  is  crowded 
out  by  the  pressing  cares  and  toils  of  active  life. 
While  the  body  receives  its  nourishment  the  soul 
goes  starving.  But  when  you  pledge  yourself  to  a 
Bible-class,  other  things  must  give  way ;  the  lesson 
must  be  prepared,  and  this  calls  for  faithful  study  of 
the  Bible.  It  leads  to  real  searching  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. The  teacher  seeks  diligently  for  the  meaning 
and  mastery  of  the  passage.  It  is  thus  fixed  per- 
manently in  his  mind,  and  he  makes  solid  progress 
through  the  demands  of  the  class  on  him.  He 
62 


THE   PRIVILEGE    OF   TEACHING    GOD'S   WORD.         63 

endeavors  to  have  his  heart  in  accord  with  the  truth 
he  studies,  and  with  the  object  of  the  work  before 
him.  It  takes  him  out  of  a  dreamy  sentimental 
Christianity,  and  settles  him  into  the  heart  of  divine 
truth.  It  compels  him  to  dig  out  the  meat  of  the 
Word  and  to  be  on  his  knees  before  God  in  earnest 
prayer,  and  to  exert  all  his  powers  in  behalf  of 
his  pupils.  It  keeps  him  on  the  watch  for  profitable 
thoughts  and  illustrations.  He  becomes  a  daily 
learner,  searchino:  for  ofood  thino^s  to  brins^  to  his 
class.  Nothing  could  possibly  occur  better  than  this 
for  the  spiritual  growth  and  enlargement  of  the 
teacher.  It  compels  him  to  be  in  the  spirit  on  the 
Lord's  day.  It  restrains  from  wandering  thoughts, 
dispels  indifference,  and  leads  him  to  abide  by  the 
cross.  He  cannot  squander  time  and  opportunity. 
He  cannot  let  down  in  his  faith,  nor  allow  his  life  to 
drift,  being  set  to  a  lower  grade  of  Christian  living. 
A  few  years  of  such  teaching,  bringing  all  the  better 
powers  into  play,  establishes  one's  character  on  a 
higher  grade.  The  good  obtained  by  such  service 
grows  wider  in  its  influence  than  the  class  taught, 
and  fits  one  for  better  work  and  a  wider  sphere 
through  life.  We  get  more  than  we  give,  and  that 
which  we  undertake  as  a  sacrifice  comes  to  be  a 
special  source  of  blessing.  While  pupils  are  under 
obligations  to  the  teacher,  the  teacher  is  under  still 
higher  obligations  to  the  pupils. 


64  HOW   TO    BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

There  is  blessing  also  in  the  teaching.  When  thus 
brought  into  living  contact  with  the  Word,  and  your 
ear  is  opened  to  hear  the  divine  voice,  you  are  filled 
with  a  longing  to  tell  others  of  these  things,  and 
teachintr  is  but  ofivinof  utterance  to  the  revelation  of 
God's  Word  to  your  own  soul;  it  is  only  drawing 
aside  the  veil  that  his  riches  may  be  seen.  Teaching 
is  not  simply  asking  questions.  The  substance  of  the 
lesson  must  be  opened  up  and  brought  into  sight. 
There  must  be  something  imparted  to  interest  and 
awaken  the  mind.  Acquaintance  with  the  lesson 
gives  confidence  and  courage.  The  teacher  cannot 
give  what  he  has  not  got.  But  the  soul,  glowing 
under  the  power  of  the  truth,  is  able  to  send  it  forth 
and  awaken  the  same  interest.  Teacher  and  class 
discoursing  together  as  they  turn  their  Bibles,  com- 
paring one  passage  with  another,  one  reading  a  verse 
aloud,  another  asking  a  question,  another  still  sug- 
gesting a  practical  thought,  the  teacher  meanwhile 
gathering  up  the  main  points  of  the  lesson,  and  guid- 
ing the  thoughts  of  the  class  into  spiritual  channels ; 
the  moments  are  precious,  and  the  hour  is  gone  too 
quickly.  Few  joys  are  greater  than  that  of  the 
teacher  who,  first  taught  of  God,  gives  to  others 
what  he  has  received.  Then  again  the  teacher  is 
brought  into  close  personal  sympathy  with  the  class ; 
he  feels  a  responsibility  for  their  individual  welfare. 
He  sits  down  by  them.     He  learns  their  needs  and 


THE    PKIVILEGE    OF   TEACHING   GOD's    WORD.         65 

difficulties,  and  enters  into  their  yearnings  for  the 
better  life,  and  by  loving  counsel  leads  them  on 
higher.  The  teacher  is  thus  a  spiritual  leader  and 
guide.  Pleasant  are  the  friendships  formed  between 
teacher  and  pupils,  —  friendships  that  will  continue 
through  eternity. 

A  blessing  comes  too,  in  results.  The  truth 
searches  the  conscience  and  makes  it  tender  and 
receptive ;  Christ  comes  near  with  his  comforts  and 
helps ;  light  breaks  in  and  cheer  to  troubled  souls ; 
burdens  fall ;  heavenly  things  seem  real,  and  the  dew 
of  Christ's  love  is  distilled,  and  the  ice  melts  from 
cold  hearts.  Many  testify  of  the  good  they  find  in 
Bible  study.  "This  is  one  of  the  most  restful  hours 
I  have  in  the  week."  "  The  Bible  comes  to  be  a 
new  book."  "There  is  nothing  that  pays  back  such 
rich  rewards  as  the  study  of  the  Word."  "  What 
a  wonderful  Book  this  is ! "  "I  never  reofret  the 
time  I  spend  in  Bible  study ;  it  helps  me  all  the 
week." 

A  special  joy  comes  to  the  teacher  who  is  per- 
mitted to  see  the  members  of  his  class  coming  to 
Christ.  What  an  incentive  this  is  to  faithful  teach- 
ing !  We  may  not  forget  that  we  are  dealing  with 
immortal  souls,  susceptible  to  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  truth  we  teach  is  God's  truth,  not  ours. 
What  faith  we  may  have  in  it !  Weakness  ourselves, 
the  Word  is  power. 


6Q  HOW   TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

There  is  a  blessing  in  the  memories.  Who  does 
not  recall  his  first  Sunday-school  class?  Vividly 
those  bright  faces  come  up  before  you  now,  though 
years  have  passed  since  they  gathered  round  you. 
After  months  of  patient  toil  you  saw  in  one  and 
another  the  seed  taking  root,  and  you  had  the  joy  of 
gathering  the  fruit  into  the  fold.  You  recall  hours 
when  a  thoughtful  silence  rested  upon  the  class.  A 
gentleness  in  manner,  a  subdued  expression  on  their 
faces,  and  here  and  there  a  moistened  eye  told  you 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  near  sealing  the  truth.  Your 
soul  yearned  for  them.  You  trembled  as  you  realized 
the  issues  of  that  hour.  You  breathed  a  silent  prayer 
for  wisdom  and  help  to  lead  them  to  Christ.  The 
joyous  privilege  was  yours,  and  the  memory  of  it  will 
abide  forever.     Here  is  treasure  laid  up. 


IX. 

THE  INFLUENCE  OF  MINISTERS'  WIVES. 

There  is  an  unfortunate  and  mistaken  notion  some- 
what prevalent  respecting  the  duties  of  a  pastor's 
wife.  It  has  sometimes  been  remarked  by  ministers, 
and  even  from  the  pulpit :  "  When  I  was  called,  my 
wife  was  not  called  " ;  or,  "  My  wife  has  no  salary," 
implying  that  no  work  in  the  parish  must  be  required 
of  her.  Again,  words  like  these  :  ^'  The  parish  ought 
not  to  demand  so  much  of  the  minister's  wife,"  said  in 
a  half-pitiful  tone,  as  if  she  had  a  hard  time,  and  the 
parish  were  to  blame  for  it ;  as  if  she  were  a  kind  of 
martyr  to  the  cause. 

Now,  looking  at  this  matter  simply  from  a  secular 
standpoint,  does  not  the  true  wife  take  to  heart  and 
share  the  burdens  and  fortunes  of  her  husband,  what- 
ever his  calling  is,  whether  mechanic  or  farmer,  or 
one  of  the  learned  professions  ?  And  is  she  not  ready 
at  all  times  to  cheer  and  aid  him,  and  show  herself  a 
worthy  helpmeet?  And  if,  through  her  love  for  him, 
she   often   denies   herself    and   makes   great   sacri- 

67 


68  HOW   TO   BUILD    A    CHURCH. 

fices  in  order  that  his  interests  may  be  advanced,  are 
others  to  be  blamed  for  it  ? 

But  there  is  a  higher  view  to  take  of  the  position 
of  any  Christian  wife,  whether  her  husband  is  a  min- 
ister or  merchant  or  day-laborer.  She  has  obliga- 
tions hiofher  than  those  she  owes  to  her  husband. 
"  One  is  your  Master,  even  Christ."  So  it  is  to  Him 
that  she  owes  her  best  service,  and  this,  happily, 
never  conflicts  with  her  duties  to  her  husband. 

The  limit  of  our  obligations  to  Christ  is  our  oppor- 
tunity. So  if  the  minister's  wife  has  a  wider  sphere 
than  some  other  Christian  women,  it  is  simply  an 
enlargement  of  her  opportunity,  and  the  duties  that 
grow  from  it  are  not  laid  on  her  by  the  church  of 
which  her  husband  is  the  pastor,  Ijut  a  bestowment 
of  great  and  blessed  privilege  from  God,  which 
ought  to  be  a  joy  to  her,  and  for  which  she  must 
give  account  to  Him.  So  it  appears  that  the 
duties  of  a  pastor's  wife  are  no  more,  after  all,  than 
tliose  of  any  Christian  woman  blessed  with  similar 
opportunities. 

But  a  minister's  wife  is  a  Christian ;  she  has  her 
own  soul  to  save,  and  has  her  own  work  to 
do.  According  to  her  ability  she  is  bound  to 
God's  service ;  according  to  her  greater  oppor- 
tunity she  will  be  glad  to  do  what  is  in  her 
power ;  and  instead  of  being  burdened  thereby,  all 
she  thus  does  in  His  name  and  by  His  grace  will  add 


THE    INFLUENCE    OF   MINISTERS'    WIVES.  69 

SO  much  to  the  depth  of  her  joy  and  to  the  blessed- 
ness of  her  life  in  Christ. 

The  more  we  dwell  in  sympathy  and  grateful  love 
on  the  humiliation  and  sacrihce  of  our  ]:)lessed  Lord 
for  sinners,  the  greater  joy  we  shall  count  it  to  be 
allowed  to  do  something  in  return  for  him.  Duty 
becomes  a  pleasure  then,  and  we  hail  with  delight  the 
opportunities  that  are  open  to  us.  AVe  cease  talking 
about  "how  much  we  have  to  do,"  or  "the  great 
demands  on  our  time  and  strength." 

When  we  rise  to  consider,  in  any  adequate  sense, 
what  our  Saviour  has  done  for  us,  we  are  ashamed 
that  our  service  to  Him  has  been  so  poor  and  meagre  ; 
and  with  quickened  heart  we  cry  out :  '^  Lord,  what 
wdlt  Thou  have  me  to  do  ?  "  Let  not  any  of  us,  then, 
w^ho  are  ministers'  wives,  plan  how  little  we  can  do  to 
help  on  the  cause  of  Christ  in  our  church,  and  in  our 
husband's  parish  ;  how  small  we  can  narrow  down 
our  influence ;  how  much  time  and  strength  we  can 
spare  from  our  Christian  duties  to  devote  to  "society," 
to  amusement,  to  recreation,  to  personal  ease.  With 
such  a  spirit  we  shall  dishonor  our  Saviour,  and  we 
shall  be  sure  to  have  a  hard,  uncomfortable  time  of  it 
ourselves,  and  the  stars  in  our  crown  will  be  few. 
There  are  souls  all  about  us  hungry  for  the  Chris- 
tian aid  and  comfort  we  can  bring  them  from  the 
precious  Word  of  God.  There  are  those  we  can 
bless  and  cheer  on  every  hand.      Let  us  not  say, 


70  HOW   TO   BUILD   A    CHURCH. 

US  Jeremiiih  did:  "I  cannot  —  lam  but  a  child." 
If  God  gives  the  opportunity,  He  surely  gives  the 
ability. 

There  are,  it  may  be,  younger  ministers'  wives  who 
are  looking  to  us  for  a  worthy  example.  I  shall 
never  cease  to  be  grateful  for  the  bright,  beautiful 
life  of  my  pastor's  wife  in  the  East — a  lady  who  early 
ripened  for  Heaven,  and  was  called  from  great  and 
marked  usefulness.  I  thought  if  I  could  only  be  like 
her  in  devotion  to  Christ,  —  if  I  could  be  a  blessing  to 
others,  as  she  had  been  to  me,  in  leading  them  nearer 
to  the  feet  of  Jesus,  —  how  happy  I  should  be.  And 
for  years  after  she  had  gone  up  higher,  her  noble, 
sweet  example  was  before  me,  a  great  inspiration  in 
my  own  daily  life. 

"Let  your  light  so  shine  ..."  This  light  must 
be  Christ  in  us,  if  others  are  led  to  glorify  our  Father 
in  Heaven.  If  we  are  God's  children  we  shall  have 
the  light  of  Christ  in  our  hearts  ;  and  if  we  drink  deep 
at  the  fountains  of  His  love  every  day,  and  feed  on  the 
riches  of  His  Word,  we  shall  have  wherewith  to 
enrich  and  benefit  others.  "As  we  have  therefore 
opportunity  let  us  do  good  unto  all  men."  Instead 
of  murmuring  and  being  sour  because  sacrifices  and 
burdens  come  upon  us,  — and  much  is  to  be  done, — 
let  us  thank  God  he  has  counted  us  worthy  to  be 
sharers  in  the  toils  of  the  kingdom  He  is  building, 
leading  back  wandering  feet  to  Him,  and  esteem  the 


THE    INFLUENCE    OF    MINISTERS*    WIVES.  71 

privilege  of  working  with  Him  who  has  suffered  for 
us  a  orreat  o^ain. 

It  is  enough  that  the  servant  should  be  as  his 
Lord. 

Who  is  the  minister's  wife  above  other  wives,  that 
she  cannot  spend  and  be  spent  in  the  great  company 
of  those  who  are  freely  yielding  up  themselves  for 
Him  who  kept  not  back  his  own  life  for  us  ? 


X. 


WOMAN'S    WORK    IN    HOME     EYANGELI- 

ZATION. 

I  LIVE  close  beside  the  great  gates  of  the  West 
through  which  multitudes  of  the  children  of  the  East 
pass  in  long  procession  to  the  ripe  fields  beyond. 
Every  day  trains  laden  with  immigrant  families  from 
European  countries  roll  over  the  great  bridge  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  emigrant  wagons  with  their  white 
canvas  covering  the  home  treasures,  from  the  Eastern 
States,  journey  leisurely  past  my  windows  :  both  tides 
alike,  home  and  foreign,  Avith  their  faces  set  towards 
new  homes  far  out  on  the  great  plains. 

These  things  constantly  keep  the  thought  and 
necessity  of  home  missionary  work  in  mind  and  heart, 
and  it  comes  by  force  into  my  daily  prayer.  I  little 
thought  in  early  years  to  have  spent  so  much  of  my 
life  amidst  such  scenes ;  but  it  may  have  been  so  in 
God's  Providence  that  I  might  appeal,  with  more 
directness  and  effectiveness,  to  my  sisters  that  remain 
in  the  East  in  behalf  of  this  great  work.  Seeing  is 
believing.  If  you  could  look  through  my  eyes  I  am 
72 


woman's  work  in  home  evangelization.      73 

sure  your  heart  would  be  stirred  with  an  impulse  that 
would  not  let  you  slumber  in  the  face  of  these  demands 
upon  us. 

These  emigrants  come  in  families.  Each  family  is 
a  hive  of  bright-faced,  interesting  children.  Our 
American  families,  as  well  as  foreign  families  that 
move  West,  abound  in  vigorous,  healthy  children  — 
boys  and  girls  to  be  guided  and  instructed  in  good 
w^ays.  It  is  a  sight  to  awaken  the  deep  heart-yearn- 
ings of  any  Christian  mother.  For  these  children 
are  on  their  way  to  homes  as  yet  unmade,  and  to 
communities  unfurnished  with  Christian  institutions 
and  influences,  and  which  often  abound  with  snares 
and  pitfalls  for  tender  feet.  Hence  the  pressing  need 
of  ministers  and  churches  in  these  places  of  spiritual 
destitution,  that  the  family  altars  may  be  set  up  in 
the  homes,  the  children  gathered  into  Sunday-schools, 
and  taught  the  way  of  life.  Here  is  a  strong  appeal 
to  mothers  to  work  for  home  missions.  Other  coun- 
tries, except  the  Catholic,  are  not  sending  mission- 
aries to  us.  If  we  neglect  our  own  country,  there 
are  none  to  care  for  it.  You  look  at  your  own  children 
in  their  comfortable  homes  with  every  advantage 
of  Christian  culture,  and  the  contrast  is  appalling; 
and  you  say,  "Important  as  my  sphere  of  usefulness 
is  at  home,  I  cannot  stop  with  my  own  children ;  my 
duty  is  as  wide  as  the  opening  fields "  —  for  the 
mother's  power  must  reach  wherever  the  children  go. 


74  HOW   TO   BUILD   A   CHURCH. 

The  work  is  not  now  so  much  to  strengthen  the 
weak  churches  as  to  provide  shepherds  for  these 
incoming  flocks. 

Multitudes  of  children  in  the  older  States  are  des- 
tined to  make  their  homes  and  spend  their  lives  on 
these  new  fields.  From  every  neighborhood  in  the 
East  some  young  men  have  gone  out  of  your  homes 
to  the  frontiers  ;  great  numbers  of  your  sons  and 
daughters  are  sure  to  follow.  What  better  work  can 
possibly  be  done  than  to  seek  to  evangelize  these 
fields,  and  to  brighten  the  atmosphere  with  Christian 
light  and  love  for  the  future  welfare  of  these  children  ? 
Their  own  children  will  be  born  there  ;  their  lives  will 
be  passed  there.  There  they  will  be  buried.  We 
need  to  lay  the  foundation  of  many  generations  now, 
to  begin  to  build  such  institutions  as  we  are  willing 
to  have  our  children  spend  their  lives  in.  If  we 
commence  they  will  complete  the  work,  and  carry 
it  still  farther  on  after  we  are  gone. 

How  much  depends  on  right  l)eginnings !  Much 
has  been  said,  and  truly  so,  concerning  the  rapid 
and  luxuriant  growths  of  these  Western  prairies. 
It  is  no  less  true  that  the  seed  of  divine  truth  has 
been  equally  rapid  in  its  growth,  and  the  yield  abun- 
dant in  places  where  it  has  been  sown.  It  is 
especially  within  the  power  of  the  Christian  women 
to  aid  in  this  work  of  sending  the  gospel  missionary 
to  these  fields.     They  may  appeal  to  every  element 


WOMAN^S    WORK    IN   HOME    KVANGELIZATION.        75 

in  the  community  around  them.  Other  forms  of  mis- 
sionary work  may  reach  separate  classes  only.  This 
affects  all  classes.  Each  person  in  the  church  and 
out  of  it  may  be  asked  for  aid,  according  to  their 
means,  to  build  up  Christian  institutions  in  the  new 
West.  It  is  in  the  interest  of  business,  of  capital,  of 
good  order,  of  labor,  of  education,  of  the  family,  and 
home  and  country.  It  is  in  the  interest  of  the  life 
eternal . 

There  is  some  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  methods  of 
oro'anization  anions:  Christian  women.  Whoever  is  a 
member  of  the  church  of  Christ  belongs  to  the  best 
organization  in  the  world  for  Christian  work.  The 
family  is  the  divine  unit,  and  in  God's  order  we  are 
households  for  the  Lord,  and  ordained  to  work 
church-wise  together — men,  women,  and  children, 
and  the  stranger  within  our  gates.  This,  certainly, 
can  be  done.  Christian  ladies  in  every  church  can 
make,  in  behalf  of  home  missions,  an  annual  canvass 
of  the  entire  parish,  visiting  every  person,  subscrip- 
tion paper  in  hand,  in  place  of  the  meagre  basket 
collections,  and  thereby  double  and  triple  the  amount 
now  raised.  This  is  a  very  simple  Avay ;  but  when 
fifteen  or  twenty  ladies  systematize  the  work  in  a 
parish,  and  go  for  the  last  dollar  for  the  great  home 
missionary  cause,  they  will  return  laden  with  bounti- 
ful offerinofs. 

We  must  read  God's  purpose  and  our  duty  in  this 


76  HOW   TO   BUILD   A    CHURCH. 

swelling  tide  of  foreign  population  to  this  great  West 
land.  From  my  childhood  I  have  been  taught  to 
reverence  and  love  the  work  of  foreign  missions  ;  and 
all  the  ardor  I  have  felt  for  the  multitudes  abroad  lost 
in  sin,  now  kindles  in  my  soul  for  these  whom  God  is 
sending  to  my  own  land,  past  my  own  door.  I  see  in 
it  God's  plan  to  warm  these  cold  hearts  at  our  fire- 
sides, and  to  feed  these  hungry  souls  from  our  own 
loaf  of  life.  As  we  draw  the  living  water  for  our- 
selves, we  must  draw  it  also  for  these  parents  and 
their  children. 


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